Final Review

F I N A L R E V I E W

Ac ademy of Art University,

Graduate School of Advertising

ST U D E N T I D : 03276759

R AH U L SAWANT Art Director

Islam 9/12 01

Audius By KIIS FM 05

IRS – ‘A World Without Taxes’ 09

War On Drugs – ‘Taboo To Change’ 13

BBC Vantage 17

SFPD – ‘Heads Up’ 21

Manneken Pis 25

FOTL – ‘Fresh Fruit’ 31

Movie Posters 35

Type Posters 39

Brush Explorations 43

Logo Design 47

CONTENTS

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

GRAPHIC / UI DESIGNER

Madhumita Nandi LLC

(April 2009 – May 2010)

The Great Eastern Home

Tunespray.com

Korustreet LLC

Connectiva Systems

JUNIOR VISUALIZER

Euro RSCG Mumbai

(April 2008 – June 2008)

Bank of Baroda

TBZ Jewellery

HDFC Bank

ILLUSTRATION INTERN

Kumar Morey Illustration Inc.

(April 2006 – June 2006)

FREELANCE PROJECTS

Designed character illustrations for ‘Ragnarok

Online’, an MMORPG game and rendered the

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

Conceptualized the brand identity for ‘Vapor

Protection Services’, a vapor mitigation

s e r v i c e s c o m p a ny. D e s i g n e d t h e l o g o,

stationery and website.

Created character illustrations for ‘Two Fat

Indians’, an Indian restaurant in Perth, Australia.

Created the product launch video for

‘Learnist’, a digital platform that helps make

learning easier.

HONORS

SILVER , Integrated Campaign

Young Glory March 2013

Student SILVER, Elements Of Advertising

Regional ADDY Awards, 2013

Student GOLD, Elements Of Advertising

SF ADDY Awards, 2013

Student GOLD & Special Judge’s Citation

SF ADDY Awards, 2013

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

EDUCATION

MFA Advertising, 2013

Academy of Art University, San Francisco

BFA in Advertising, 2009

Rachana Sansad College of Applied

Arts & Craft, Mumbai

SKILLS

Adobe After Effects, Flash, Premiere,

Creative Suite, Grammar Nazi.

Challenge: I s l a m h a s a s e r i o u s i m a g e

p ro b l e m i n t h e U n i t e d S t at e s . F i x i t .

Solution: When the Twin Towers fell on

September 11th, we were shocked and

saddened. On September 12th, we woke

up angry; looking for s omeone to blame.

Unfortunately for Islamic practit ioners

(especially those living in America), they

ended up taking the brunt of the hatred and

have been living with it ever since.

Our solution is a poster campaign to counter-

balance the t-shirts, hats and signs that all

blame Islam for the cause of September 11th

w i t h I s l a m i c i n d i v i d u a l s h o l d i n g t h e i r ow n

s i g n s w h i c h b l a m e h at re d , b i g ot r y a n d

ignorance for the backlash they have been

receiving since 12th September 2001.

01. Islam ‘9/12’

Print Campaign

Art Direction, Advertising

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

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Challenge: The music industry has been

deeply transformed in the last few years, a

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?

Solution: While some keep claiming that

conventional radio is dead, we came up with

an idea that turns you into the radio station.

Pres enting 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 c an choos e 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

02. ‘Audius’ by KIIS FMIntegrated Campaign

Art Direction, Advertising, Motion Graphics

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

your popularity even more, instantly making

you a local celebrity DJ.

Additionally, there is a real-world compo-

n e nt— a s e r i e s of s i l e nt d i s c o p a r t i e s

sponsored by KIIS FM, where popular Audius

DJs compete by playing their music. The

bigger their Audius radius, the bigger the

venues they will be invited to play—from

small pubs all the way to big stadiums.

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.

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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

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.

03. IRS ‘A world without taxes’ Ambient Campaign


Awards: SILVER, Young Glory January 2013 Art Director: Rahul Sawant, Tim O’Connell



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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.

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Challenge: Find a way to put the failure of the

war on drugs on the global social agenda.

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

whiteboard asks the public a question—“What

do you think about the war on drugs?” The

public is encouraged to put their thoughts

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

forum, causing even the casual onlookers to

be involved in the conversation by sparking

interest. As the wall hits its spacial limit, the

#warondrugs tag is introduced to act as a

bridge, carrying the discussion to a bigger

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

04. War on Drugs ‘Taboo to Change’Integrated Campaign


digital version of the physical wall. This online

wall takes the conversation to the next level,

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.

The solution to the war on drugs is not instan-

taneous. But it starts with a question and a

conversation to realize that we as a society

are not that far apart in our views. By refusing

the status quo and demanding a change, this

is one step in the right direction of bringing

the war on drugs to an end.

Awards: SILVER, Young Glory March 2013 Art Director: Rahul Sawant, Tim O’Connell



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Challenge: How might we turn otherwise static

news websites into pages that feel updated,

dynamic and relevant?

Solution: History is in the making everyday,

and when it happens we turn to reliable tele-

vision news sources to get our information.

However, the internet is slowly becoming our

primary source for breaking news. And yet

a bigger problem remains. News websites

are limited and struggle to keep up with the

constant flow of today ’s information. The

result—an experience that is flat and doesn’t

feel alive.

Seeing this problem, the BBC knew that in

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

05. BBC Vantage Integrated Campaign


the Vantage app on your smart device and

begin recording. Your footage is sent to the

BBC website where its featured as addi-

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 docu-

ment breaking stories.

With BB C Vantage, us ers are able to

contribute to an ecosystem of ever updating

current news. Telling a truly impartial narrative

that gets all sides of the story as it happens.




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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

c ampaign that takes the iconic iPhone

ads and turns them on their head, acting as

a reminder for people to be mindful of their

surroundings and always stay alert.

06. SFPD ‘Heads Up’Print Campaign


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Caption: 38% of all robberies in

SF involve cellphones. Be Aware.

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Caption: You see a text message;

they see an opportunity.

Be Aware.

Caption: 40 iPhones a day get

stolen in San Francisco.

Be Aware.

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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 c ampaign bas ed on the

strategic idea—‘In art we indulge; in real life

we should not.’ Each print ad has the Manneken

Pis i l lustrated 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.

I n o rd e r to g e n e rate b u z z , a d i g i t a l p a n e l

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.

07. Manneken Pis Print Campaign

Art Direction, Advertising, Illustration

Art Director: Rahul Sawant

Copywriter: Rahul Sawant

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Tagline: In the mad city of Brus-

sels, 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

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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.

Solution: W h i l e d o n at i o n s h e l p t h o s e i n

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.’

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

thos e looking to help with thos e in need.

Priced at wholesale rates, people can quickly

s e e h ow m u c h ‘ Fre s h Fr u i t ’ t h ey w i l l b e

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,

al lowing volunteers and victims to pick up

08. Fruit of the Loom ‘Fresh Fruit’ Print Campaign


‘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.

Every package of ‘Fresh Fruit’ provides a

weeks worth of fresh undergarments,

messages of encouragement and reminders

that we all care.

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.




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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

Audius by KIIS FM

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Fit for Kings by

Department of Health

Fancite.com

SFPD HEADS UP

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Blair Underwood

Collection

Rahul Sawant

Personal Branding

Elizabeth Hemingway

Personal Branding

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THE BEGINNING .

Documents

Final Review