Creative Direction | Content Strategy | Writing

Forest of Dreams

To celebrate their centennial year, Cleveland Clinic wanted to bring their unique history to life for their staff, patients, and visitors. We pitched the idea of a 16 x 9 HD interactive wall that uses pedestal control technology for a touchless experience —an elegant solution that would blend with the organization’s modern aesthetic and provide visitors with an opportunity to explore 100 years of stories in an engaging and meaningful way. 

My goal as a creative director is to produce work that is authentic to a client’s brand and history, and in researching the Cleveland Clinic story, we learned that the idea for the hospital’s unique approach to medicine was the result of the founders’ battlefield experience in France during WWI. Further investigation led us to this photo and caption, buried in a scrapbook from the early 1920s and written by George Crile, one of the four founders: 

And so our concept was built around the visual of a poplar forest in Rouen — a place of respite and hope in the midst of difficulty. We brought the forest to life as a place to explore, but also to lend a sense of calm to people entering the hospital who are facing their own battles.

Highlights: 

• Concept, Content strategy and editorial direction 

• Creative direction of design and production 

• Pivoted from touch-screen technology to high-tech hover pedestals mid-stream due to COVID pandemic