An interdisciplinary team of students and faculty from the USF 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 鈥淒ose of Gratitude鈥� campaign. It鈥檚 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, 鈥淐onsider yourself hugged.鈥� The variety of animals signifies the diverse roles in health care, such as doctors, nurses, paraprofessionals and more.
鈥淭he Graphic Arts Program incorporates community activism and social awareness into our curriculum,鈥� said Jennifer Yucus, co-chair of the Verbal & Visual Arts Department at USF St. Petersburg. 鈥淥ur 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.鈥�
鈥淒ose of Gratitude鈥� signage can be found installed outside USF Health facilities, as well as Tampa General Hospital, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, James A. Haley Veterans鈥� Hospital and AdventHealth. It鈥檚 a gift to the community that illustrates the might of students and faculty working together across disciplines and campuses.
鈥淚f we can make a hospital worker smile and forget their worries for 20 seconds, that is our goal,鈥� Yucus said.
The creative team is comprised of USF animation students Maria Garcell, Amber Newman and Jack Siambanes, as well as USF graphic arts students Tessa Wilson, Alicia Boyd and Emily Butler. They are supported by Yucus, USF mass communications instructor Kevin Hawley, and USF 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,鈥� 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 鈥渢hank you鈥� to health care workers.
鈥淒ose of Gratitude鈥� will run through the month of May.
You can keep up with the campaign online by following the USF College of The Arts @TheArtsAtUSF on , and .