Final Review

R AH U L SAWANT Art Director FINAL REVIEW Academy of Art University, Graduate School of Advertising STUDENT ID: 03276759

CONTENTS

Islam 9/12 01 Audius By KIIS FM

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IRS – ‘A World Without Taxes’

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War On Drugs – ‘Taboo To Change’

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BBC Vantage 17 SFPD – ‘Heads Up’

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Manneken Pis 25 FOTL – ‘Fresh Fruit’

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Movie Posters 35 Type Posters 39 Brush Explorations 43 Logo Design 47

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Hi, I am Rahul. An artist, an illustrator, a photographer and most importantly, an art director. I have a knack of finding insight that’s generally ignored and I use my abilities in design to create a genuine experience. I’m in this industry not because of the lack of choice but because of my passion for bringing ideas to life through the talents that I have nurtured.

Born in Mumbai, India, I was exposed to more things than my senses could fully make sense of. And at the tender age of 15, I began to deconstruct the media, relationships and the world, leaving them exposed for what they really are. This awakening was in some ways the beginning of my journey.

School, a Bachelors in Advertising from Mumbai and finally AAU. Each of them taught me something new and different and helped me develop my skills. It was military school that taught me discipline, a quality that has given me a better understanding of the things worth fighting for. I have learnt that ideas worth designing and expressing are worth the long hours, the frustrations, and the lack of sleep. Because in the end, the results are worth it.

With insight, design and gut instinct on my side, I am ready to put my skills to the test and cut my teeth in the ceaseless world of advertising.

RÉSUMÉ

WORK EXPERIENCE

FREELANCE PROJECTS

GRAPHIC / UI DESIGNER

Designed character illustrations for ‘Ragnarok

Madhumita Nandi LLC

Online’, an MMORPG game and rendered the

(April 2009 – M ay 2010)

same on glass for the office of Level-Up Games.

The Great Eastern Home

Conceptualized the brand identity for ‘Vapor

Tunespray.com

Protection Services’, a vapor mitigation

Korustreet LLC

services company. Designed the logo,

Connectiva Systems

stationery and website.

JUNIOR VISUALIZER

Created character illustrations for ‘Two Fat

Euro RSCG Mumbai

Indians’, an Indian restaurant in Perth, Australia.

(April 2008 – J une 2008)

Created the product launch video for

Bank of Baroda

‘Learnist’, a digital platform that helps make

TBZ Jewellery

learning easier.

HDFC Bank ILLUSTRATION INTERN Kumar Morey Illustration Inc. (April 2006 – J une 2006)

HONORS

EDUCATION

SILVER, Integrated Campaign

MFA Advertising, 2013

Young Glory March 2013

Academy of Art University, San Francisco

Student SILVER, Elements Of Advertising

BFA in Advertising, 2009

Regional ADDY Awards, 2013

Rachana Sansad College of Applied

Student GOLD, Elements Of Advertising

SF ADDY Awards, 2013

Arts & Craft, Mumbai SKILLS

Student GOLD & Special Judge’s Citation

Adobe After Effects, Flash, Premiere,

SF ADDY Awards, 2013

Creative Suite, Grammar Nazi.

FINALIST, Integrated Campaign Young Glory February 2013 SILVER, Ambient Campaign Young Glory January 2013 GOLD, Print Campaign Young Glory December 2012 MERIT, Integrated Campaign Spring Show, Academy Of Art 2012 MERIT, Integrated Campaign Spring Show, Academy Of Art 2012

01. Islam ‘9/12’ Print Campaign Art Direction, Advertising

Challenge: Islam has a serious image problem in the United States. Fix it.

Solution: When the Twin Towers fell on September 11th, we were shocked and saddened. On September 12th, we woke up angry; looking for someone to blame.

Unfortunately for Islamic practitioners (especially those living in America), they 01

ended up taking the brunt of the hatred and have been living with it ever since.

Our solution is a poster campaign to counterbalance the t-shirts, hats and signs that all blame Islam for the cause of September 11th with Islamic individuals holding their own signs which blame hatred, bigotry and ignorance for the backlash they have been receiving since 12th September 2001.

Awards: GOLD, Young Glory December 2012 Art Director: Rahul Sawant, Tim O’Connell Account Planner: Dudley Duberry Copywriter: Tim Murakami

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Caption: Everything I need to know about hatred, I learned on 9/12

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Caption: Everything I need to know about bigotry, I learned on 9/12

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Caption: Everything I need to know about ignorance, I learned on 9/12

02. ‘Audius’ by KIIS FM Integrated Campaign Art Direction, Advertising, Motion Graphics

Challenge: The music industry has been

your popularity even more, instantly making

deeply transformed in the last few years, a

you a local celebrity DJ.

very challenging context for a medium that introduced many of us to our favorite tunes: radio. How do we revive a dying medium and provide the listeners with a truly authentic music experience?

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Additionally, there is a real-world component—a series of silent disco parties sponsored by KIIS FM, where popular Audius DJs compete by playing their music. The bigger their Audius radius, the bigger the

Solution: While some keep claiming that

venues they will be invited to play—from

conventional radio is dead, we came up with

small pubs all the way to big stadiums.

an idea that turns you into the radio station.

Presenting Audius by KIIS FM, a unique project that allows you to broadcast music to the world around you. The better your audio, the bigger your radius.

This is how it works. You can choose to perform, or you can choose to listen. On choosing to perform, you get to create your own playlists and become a remote DJ, turning your smart device into a radio tower.

You start with an audio radius of a couple of blocks. As more people tune in and like what you’re playing, your radius grows. This allows other people to find your playlist, and boosts

If conventional radio is done, Audius is our proposal to revive it, an idea that empowers music lovers by turning a passive medium into an active channel.

Awards: Student GOLD (Innovation) Special Judge’s Citation (Innovation) Student GOLD (Visual Effects) SF Addy Awards, 2013 Student SILVER (Visual Effects) Regional Addy Awards, 2013 MERIT (Integrated Campaign) AAU Spring Show, 2012 Art Director: Rahul Sawant, Tim O’Connell Copywriter: Rahul Sawant, Tim O’Connell

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03. IRS ‘A world without taxes’ Ambient Campaign Art Direction, Advertising

Problem: Taxes are a necessary evil for the world we live in. Everybody dislikes them, because the effects of taxes aren’t always obvious or instantaneous. This is especially true for the rich, who spend fortunes trying to avoid having to pay their share.

Solution: Our proposal was to develop an ambient campaign in high-end metropolitan 09

business areas and show those who do their best to avoid taxes (the rich), what the world around them would look like if they didn’t contribute their fair share.

Through an execution of a vinyl-ambient campaign by the IRS, it serves as a hard reminder to those who feel the most entitled to not pay taxes, of what can happen if they don’t. The fact that their lives could not just be inconvenienced, but endangered helps show that a lack of responsibility to pay taxes will impact everyone.

Awards: SILVER, Young Glory January 2013 Art Director: Rahul Sawant, Tim O’Connell Account Planner: Dudley Duberry Copywriter: Tim Murakami

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Caption: Imagine a world without taxes.

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Caption: Imagine a world without taxes.

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Caption: Imagine a world without taxes.

04. War on Drugs ‘Taboo to Change’ Integrated Campaign Art Direction, Advertising

Challenge: Find a way to put the failure of the

digital version of the physical wall. This online

war on drugs on the global social agenda.

wall takes the conversation to the next level,

Solution: In order to bring about change in the global social agenda, we need to get people talking about the issue– which got us to come up with the idea for ’Taboo to Change.’

The movement starts with city walls that are transformed into whiteboard installations. The 13

whiteboard asks the public a question—“What do you think about the war on drugs?” The

causing the dialog to continue indefinitely.

This takes the conversation of the war on drugs from a taboo topic to the forefront of global social agenda.

Additionally, people who tag their locations when contributing to the wall, will have their messages posted on the social pages of their local congressman.

public is encouraged to put their thoughts

The solution to the war on drugs is not instan-

on the ‘wall,’ turning the wall into an open

taneous. But it starts with a question and a

forum, causing even the casual onlookers to

conversation to realize that we as a society

be involved in the conversation by sparking

are not that far apart in our views. By refusing

interest. As the wall hits its spacial limit, the

the status quo and demanding a change, this

#warondrugs tag is introduced to act as a

is one step in the right direction of bringing

bridge, carrying the discussion to a bigger

the war on drugs to an end.

platform—http://warondrugs.org By using the #endwarondrugs, people are encouraged to continue the conversation online by writing down their own thoughts and uploading them to Instagram, adding to the

Awards: SILVER, Young Glory March 2013 Art Director: Rahul Sawant, Tim O’Connell Account Planner: Dudley Duberry Copywriter: Tim Murakami

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05. BBC Vantage Integrated Campaign Art Direction, Advertising

Challenge: How might we turn otherwise static

the Vantage app on your smart device and

news websites into pages that feel updated,

begin recording. Your footage is sent to the

dynamic and relevant?

BBC website where its featured as addi-

Solution: History is in the making everyday, and when it happens we turn to reliable television news sources to get our information.

However, the internet is slowly becoming our primary source for breaking news. And yet 17

a bigger problem remains. News websites are limited and struggle to keep up with the

tional content for the breaking news articles, showing your unique point of view that enhances the story. Users like yourself are then ranked based on submitted content and quality of information—giving your footage priority the next time you are able to document breaking stories.

constant flow of today’s information. The

With BBC Vantage, users are able to

result—an experience that is flat and doesn’t

contribute to an ecosystem of ever updating

feel alive.

current news. Telling a truly impartial narrative

Seeing this problem, the BBC knew that in

that gets all sides of the story as it happens.

order to remain original and noteworthy they would need to try an unconventional approach to news casting. Therefore, we created BBC Vantage—turning you, the viewer, into a live contributor of news.

The campaign turns your smart device into your very own news camera adding stories as they happen through your eyes. As news breaks, you as a BBC user can quickly open

Art Director: Rahul Sawant, Tim O’Connell Account Planner: Dudley Duberry Copywriter: Tim Murakami

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06. SFPD ‘Heads Up’ Print Campaign Art Direction, Advertising

Challenge: The goal is to educate people about the high number of iPhone-involved robberies. Simple message: be aware of your surroundings and conceal your valuables, especially your iPhone.

Solution: Our solution is ‘Heads Up’, a campaign that takes the iconic iPhone ads and turns them on their head, acting as 21

a reminder for people to be mindful of their surroundings and always stay alert.

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Caption: 38% of all robberies in SF involve cellphones. Be Aware.

Caption: You see a text message; they see an opportunity.

Be Aware.

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Caption: 40 iPhones a day get stolen in San Francisco.

Be Aware.

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07. Manneken Pis Print Campaign Art Direction, Advertising, Illustration

Challenge: The statue of Manneken Pis has gained so much buzz that it has plateaued in popularity. How can we introduce the Manneken Pis to new tourists visiting the city of Brussels?

Solution: A print campaign based on the strategic idea—‘In art we indulge; in real life we should not.’ Each print ad has the Manneken 25

Pis illustrated from different angles, with risque copy laid out unassumingly. The visual look is a stark contrast to the scandalous copy, compelling viewers to re-read it.

In order to generate buzz, a digital panel featuring the Manneken Pis would be installed in the airport and subway corridors of Brussels.

Equipped with motion sensors, the Manneken Pis would turn its head to face passing commuters, as if playfully taunting them for looking. The ambience was complete with the suggestive sound of tricking water that played in the background all along.

Art Director: Rahul Sawant Copywriter: Rahul Sawant

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Tagline: In the mad city of Brussels, be sure not to miss; come along to find it, before they steal the Manneken Pis.

Caption: Take a snap of a naked babe taking a piss and still you shan’t go to jail.

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Caption: Cup the tush of a naked babe as wifey watches and still you shall live more days.

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Caption: Sip the piss of a naked babe on ye knees and still you shan’t get a glance.

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Digital Panel Installation

08. Fruit of the Loom ‘Fresh Fruit’ Print Campaign Art Direction, Advertising

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Challenge: Find a creative solution to help people in need when dealing with the aftermath of a catastrophe such as Hurricane Sandy.

‘Fresh Fruit’ along with their water, food, and other supplies. By joining these efforts, people know that their basic needs can be met at one location.

Solution: While donations help those in desperate need of assistance, items like underwear and socks often get overlooked in the wake of catastrophic disasters. This is why Fruit of the Loom started: ‘Fresh Fruit.’

Every package of ‘Fresh Fruit’ provides a weeks worth of fresh undergarments, messages of encouragement and reminders that we all care.

While jeans and t-shirts get worn for days at a time, a pair of clean socks and underwear allow those affected to feel fresh again. ‘Fresh Fruit’ provides these essentials and connects donors directly to those in need.

FreshFruit.com provides a portal to connect those looking to help with those in need.

Priced at wholesale rates, people can quickly see how much ‘Fresh Fruit’ they will be providing, and write words of encouragement to the families in need.

Working in hand with existing relief efforts, we set up ‘pop-up shops’ in affected regions, allowing volunteers and victims to pick up

Using social media tools, donations spread virally and allow recipients a chance to say, post, and tweet, “Thank you.”

Through our unified efforts, donors know they can help more through ‘Fresh Fruit’ than they could alone. Our campaign unites donors and recipients to show the real impact that even small donations can bring.

Art Director: Rahul Sawant, Tim O’Connell Account Planner: Dudley Duberry Copywriter: Tim Murakami

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09. Movie Posters Art Direction, Typography, Illustration

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10. Type Posters Art Direction, Graphic Design, Typography

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11. Brush Explorations Art Direction, Typography, Illustration

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12. Identity Design Art Direction, Graphic Design, Typography

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Vapor Protection Services 48

Audius by KIIS FM

Fancite.com

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Fit for Kings by Department of Health

SFPD HEADS UP

Blair Underwood Collection

Rahul Sawant Personal Branding

Elizabeth Hemingway Personal Branding

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THE BEGINNING.