WNYC

Sonic Identity & Campaigns

I was honored to lead a strategic brand optimization for WNYC, during which I created the station’s sonic identity and directed Scarlett Johansson as its new brand voice. We also made a hyperlocal campaign for Radiolab Live and brand campaigns with Stanley Tucci and Eugene Mirman.

Client

New York Public Radio

Agency

Eyeball

Role

Executive Creative Director, Composer

Year

2012-2014

To optimize WNYC's on-air brand image, I led a comprehensive audio identity overhaul that included strategy, original music, a new audio logo, and a new brand voice.

WNYC wanted every moment of their broadcast to reflect and reinforce its position as a modern, relevant source of information and culture in New York City. I led extensive interviews with department heads and stakeholders, and armed with a complete understanding of WNYC’s needs and aspirations, crafted a new station tagline, “Just keep listening,” as an evolution of our “Never turn it off” campaign.

To optimize WNYC's on-air brand image, I led a comprehensive audio identity overhaul that included strategy, original music, a new audio logo, and a new brand voice.

WNYC wanted every moment of their broadcast to reflect and reinforce its position as a modern, relevant source of information and culture in New York City. I led extensive interviews with department heads and stakeholders, and armed with a complete understanding of WNYC’s needs and aspirations, crafted a new station tagline, “Just keep listening,” as an evolution of our “Never turn it off” campaign.

To optimize WNYC's on-air brand image, I led a comprehensive audio identity overhaul that included strategy, original music, a new audio logo, and a new brand voice.

WNYC wanted every moment of their broadcast to reflect and reinforce its position as a modern, relevant source of information and culture in New York City. I led extensive interviews with department heads and stakeholders, and armed with a complete understanding of WNYC’s needs and aspirations, crafted a new station tagline, “Just keep listening,” as an evolution of our “Never turn it off” campaign.

In addition to a unique, forward-thinking audio logo, WNYC needed an original music package worthy of the leading public radio station in America.

We incorporated diverse influences into an eclectic set of original music beds with different options for each daypart, producing an extensive audio package to elevate and evolve their brand, complete with IDs, strategic positioning, music playlists, and style guides addressing everything from script-writing to VO casting. And as a final step, I cast and directed Scarlett Johansson as a new youthful and approachable brand voice.

In addition to a unique, forward-thinking audio logo, WNYC needed an original music package worthy of the leading public radio station in America.

We incorporated diverse influences into an eclectic set of original music beds with different options for each daypart, producing an extensive audio package to elevate and evolve their brand, complete with IDs, strategic positioning, music playlists, and style guides addressing everything from script-writing to VO casting. And as a final step, I cast and directed Scarlett Johansson as a new youthful and approachable brand voice.

In addition to a unique, forward-thinking audio logo, WNYC needed an original music package worthy of the leading public radio station in America.

We incorporated diverse influences into an eclectic set of original music beds with different options for each daypart, producing an extensive audio package to elevate and evolve their brand, complete with IDs, strategic positioning, music playlists, and style guides addressing everything from script-writing to VO casting. And as a final step, I cast and directed Scarlett Johansson as a new youthful and approachable brand voice.

WNYC ID Morning A

WNYC

WNYC ID Morning A

WNYC

To promote Radiolab’s live stage show in Brooklyn, I led creation of an artful hyper-local poster campaign.

Thanks to its immense popularity as a top-ranking podcast, Radiolab has a fan base that extends across the globe. Our print campaign needed to convey the curiosity inherent in the show, with topics spanning from space to neuroscience to more esoteric questions about the basic nature of humanity. 

Our solution was to give designers a bundle of show segments to inspire them and then turn them loose to create. We produced over 40 posters in 3 days, allowing the show producers and WNYC to choose their favorites. The response was overwhelming with two shows at the Brooklyn Academy of Music selling out in 3 hours and Radiolab hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich giving me huge hugs on premiere night.

To promote Radiolab’s live stage show in Brooklyn, I led creation of an artful hyper-local poster campaign.

Thanks to its immense popularity as a top-ranking podcast, Radiolab has a fan base that extends across the globe. Our print campaign needed to convey the curiosity inherent in the show, with topics spanning from space to neuroscience to more esoteric questions about the basic nature of humanity. 

Our solution was to give designers a bundle of show segments to inspire them and then turn them loose to create. We produced over 40 posters in 3 days, allowing the show producers and WNYC to choose their favorites. The response was overwhelming with two shows at the Brooklyn Academy of Music selling out in 3 hours and Radiolab hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich giving me huge hugs on premiere night.

To promote Radiolab’s live stage show in Brooklyn, I led creation of an artful hyper-local poster campaign.

Thanks to its immense popularity as a top-ranking podcast, Radiolab has a fan base that extends across the globe. Our print campaign needed to convey the curiosity inherent in the show, with topics spanning from space to neuroscience to more esoteric questions about the basic nature of humanity. 

Our solution was to give designers a bundle of show segments to inspire them and then turn them loose to create. We produced over 40 posters in 3 days, allowing the show producers and WNYC to choose their favorites. The response was overwhelming with two shows at the Brooklyn Academy of Music selling out in 3 hours and Radiolab hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich giving me huge hugs on premiere night.

We created a number of other brand-level campaigns for WNYC, employing notable actors who love the station and support public radio, including Stanley Tucci, Piter Marek, and Eugene Mirman.

In addition to audio-only radio spots, we took the opportunity to animate a few of them and leverage WNYC’s media partnerships to extend their reach into TV and digital.

We created a number of other brand-level campaigns for WNYC, employing notable actors who love the station and support public radio, including Stanley Tucci, Piter Marek, and Eugene Mirman.

In addition to audio-only radio spots, we took the opportunity to animate a few of them and leverage WNYC’s media partnerships to extend their reach into TV and digital.

We created a number of other brand-level campaigns for WNYC, employing notable actors who love the station and support public radio, including Stanley Tucci, Piter Marek, and Eugene Mirman.

In addition to audio-only radio spots, we took the opportunity to animate a few of them and leverage WNYC’s media partnerships to extend their reach into TV and digital.

Credits
Eyeball

Ben Spivak, Executive Producer

Limore Shur, Executive Creative Director

Alex Moulton, Executive Creative Director, Creative Director, Composer

TJ McCormick, Executive Creative Director, Designer

Sara Huneke, Creative Director

Ben Hill, Designer

Yisak Kuo, Designer

Neil Stuber, Designer

Nyles Lannon, Composer

Eric Stamile, Composer

Scarlett Johansson, Voice Talent

Stanley Tucci, Voice Talent

Piter Marek, Voice Talent

Eugene Mirman, Talent

New York Public Radio

Laura Walker, President and CEO

Peter Weingard, Chief Marketing Officer

Thomas Hjelm, Chief Digital Officer

Dean Cappello, EVP Chief Content Officer

Noreen O'Loughlin, VP Integrated Marketing

Chris Bannon, VP Content Development and Production

Margaret Pomeroy Hunt, VP Development

Theodora Kuslan, Senior Director of Marketing

Jacqueline Cincotta, Program Director

Lars Topelmann, Radiolab Photographer

Credits
Eyeball

Ben Spivak, Executive Producer

Limore Shur, Executive Creative Director

Alex Moulton, Executive Creative Director, Creative Director, Composer

TJ McCormick, Executive Creative Director, Designer

Sara Huneke, Creative Director

Ben Hill, Designer

Yisak Kuo, Designer

Neil Stuber, Designer

Nyles Lannon, Composer

Eric Stamile, Composer

Scarlett Johansson, Voice Talent

Stanley Tucci, Voice Talent

Piter Marek, Voice Talent

Eugene Mirman, Talent

New York Public Radio

Laura Walker, President and CEO

Peter Weingard, Chief Marketing Officer

Thomas Hjelm, Chief Digital Officer

Dean Cappello, EVP Chief Content Officer

Noreen O'Loughlin, VP Integrated Marketing

Chris Bannon, VP Content Development and Production

Margaret Pomeroy Hunt, VP Development

Theodora Kuslan, Senior Director of Marketing

Jacqueline Cincotta, Program Director

Lars Topelmann, Radiolab Photographer

Credits
Eyeball

Ben Spivak, Executive Producer

Limore Shur, Executive Creative Director

Alex Moulton, Executive Creative Director, Creative Director, Composer

TJ McCormick, Executive Creative Director, Designer

Sara Huneke, Creative Director

Ben Hill, Designer

Yisak Kuo, Designer

Neil Stuber, Designer

Nyles Lannon, Composer

Eric Stamile, Composer

Scarlett Johansson, Voice Talent

Stanley Tucci, Voice Talent

Piter Marek, Voice Talent

Eugene Mirman, Talent

New York Public Radio

Laura Walker, President and CEO

Peter Weingard, Chief Marketing Officer

Thomas Hjelm, Chief Digital Officer

Dean Cappello, EVP Chief Content Officer

Noreen O'Loughlin, VP Integrated Marketing

Chris Bannon, VP Content Development and Production

Margaret Pomeroy Hunt, VP Development

Theodora Kuslan, Senior Director of Marketing

Jacqueline Cincotta, Program Director

Lars Topelmann, Radiolab Photographer