Communicating contradiction with design
FX came to us to create an episodic package that authentically captured the essence of the era of their new limited series Mrs. America, as well as the drama at the heart of the story. As design director, I created a system that leveraged the look and feel of the 1970s to reveal the complexity and contradiction that defined the main character.
Duality is the pitch
The story of Phyllis Schlafly is about duality. She was a Harvard graduate, an empowered woman, who at the same time fought (successfully) to stop the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.
She was a walking contradiction.
The design pairs juxtaposition, repetition, and a motion language that feels almost eerie to capture the essence that cognitive dissonance.
On Air Package
The final package evolved to be more about filmic effect than the psychological impact. It was all about slight camera jitter, film grain, lens dust, and a subtle misalignment of our frames.
Even without that added layer of meaning it was still enthusiastically received and won awards, notably Promax Awards 2021—Gold Winner Art Direction and Design Typography, as well as a CLIO Silver Award.
