An interdisciplinary team of students and faculty from the ±«Óătv School of Art and Art History, Zimmerman School of Advertising and Communications and the University of South Florida St. Petersburg Graphic Arts Program have launched the âDose of Gratitudeâ campaign. Itâs intended to bring smiles and show respect for health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Designs consist of animal species unique to the Florida landscape performing acts of gratitude. The first phase of the campaign features a flamingo surrounded by palm trees with the text, âConsider yourself hugged.â The variety of animals signifies the diverse roles in health care, such as doctors, nurses, paraprofessionals and more.
âThe Graphic Arts Program incorporates community activism and social awareness into our curriculum,â said Jennifer Yucus, co-chair of the Verbal & Visual Arts Department at ±«Óătv St. Petersburg. âOur students are no strangers to the fact that design has the power to do good. We are excited to have the opportunity to provide a moment of light during such a dark time.â
âDose of Gratitudeâ signage can be found installed outside ±«Óătv Health facilities, as well as Tampa General Hospital, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, James A. Haley Veteransâ Hospital and AdventHealth. Itâs a gift to the community that illustrates the might of students and faculty working together across disciplines and campuses.
âIf we can make a hospital worker smile and forget their worries for 20 seconds, that is our goal,â Yucus said.
The creative team is comprised of ±«Óătv animation students Maria Garcell, Amber Newman and Jack Siambanes, as well as ±«Óătv graphic arts students Tessa Wilson, Alicia Boyd and Emily Butler. They are supported by Yucus, ±«Óătv mass communications instructor Kevin Hawley, and ±«Óătv animation faculty members K-J Mathieson and McArthur Freeman. All of the students involved in this project are graduating seniors.
"It's a great experience to not only connect with our university but show gratitude to our community for all the work they're doing in this difficult time,â Boyd said.
Each week, the design team begins with research, reading news stories and social media posts about health care workers at the front line of the pandemic. They then brainstorm messaging, illustrate characters and craft typography, and send their files digitally to the animation students, who manipulate the images to create short videos for social media.
The team is also incorporating additional messages in the social media campaign. Hawley serves as the copywriter, creating the written content for more text-heavy graphics, such as those that offer a heartfelt âthank youâ to health care workers.
âDose of Gratitudeâ will run through the month of May.
You can keep up with the campaign online by following the ±«Óătv College of The Arts @TheArtsAt±«Óătv on , and .