This project showcases an integrated advertising campaign developed for the Taste of DC food festival, featuring a partnership with DC Metro and Destination DC. The campaign includes an original logo, print poster, bus shelter advertisement, Instagram carousel, Metro SmartTrip card designs, a series of web ads in multiple sizes, and a full metro bus wrap. Unifying these elements is a visual system built from a fusion of art styles, symbolizing the cultural diversity that defines Washington, D.C. The campaign was designed to communicate event information clearly while maintaining consistency across all applications, creating an engaging and recognizable presence throughout both digital and transit environments.
Programs Used:
Adobe InDesign | Adobe Illustrator | Adobe Photoshop
Taste of DC Food Festival
Ad Campaign
Advertising Design, George Mason University
The logo development began with a series of digital sketch concepts aimed at visually capturing the spirit of the Taste of DC festival while grounding the identity in Washington, D.C.’s local character. Early designs explored ways to blend food-focused imagery with elements drawn from the DC flag, including stars, stripes, and the city’s signature color palette. These explorations focused on creating a mark that felt festive, recognizable, and rooted in place, setting the foundation for a campaign that celebrates both food and culture.
Initial Logo Sketches
The final refined logo brings the concept together through a playful sans-serif logotype paired with a custom mark based on the outline of Washington, D.C. A “bite” taken from the corner of the map transforms the shape into a visual reference to food, while the flag’s stars, stripes, and refined signature color palette of red and blue tie the identity directly to the city. The result is a distinctive, location-driven mark that feels fun, inviting, and instantly recognizable.
Festival Logo
Print Ad Poster
The print poster centers on the headline, “Celebrate the tastes that unite us,” surrounded by illustrated foods representing the diverse cultures found throughout Washington, D.C. Each element is rendered with loose, expressive paint strokes inspired by industrial design rendering, contrasted against a halftone-textured background indicative of pop-art. This blend of styles becomes a visual metaphor for the festival itself; different influences coming together to form a unified, energetic composition that mirrors how food and culture merge to create something greater.
Instagram Carousel Ad
The Instagram carousel translates the campaign’s visual language into a scrolling narrative, highlighting a variety of cultural dishes paired with event details and key messaging. Each slide blends expressive illustration with bold type to maintain visual energy, while the sequence emphasizes discovery and diversity, inviting viewers to explore the many flavors and cultures represented at the festival.
A series of web ads was designed in multiple sizes to ensure consistent visibility across digital platforms. Each ad adapts the campaign’s illustrated food motifs, bold typography, and DC-inspired color palette into compact, attention-grabbing layouts. Together, they maintain visual continuity with the larger campaign while delivering essential event information quickly and effectively in fast-scroll digital environments.
Web Ads
The bus shelter design scales the campaign’s visuals to an environmental format, using high-impact typography and large dynamic food illustrations to capture attention in transit-heavy spaces. The large format reinforces the campaign’s message of cultural unity through food, while ensuring critical event information remains clear and accessible at a glance.
Advertising
The metro bus wrap brings the campaign into motion, turning public transportation into a rolling celebration of D.C.’s food scene. The illustrated dishes and vibrant color palette extend across the vehicle to create a bold, citywide presence that promotes the festival while reflecting the diversity and energy of the communities it serves.
Metro Bus Wrap
Custom SmarTrip cards apply the campaign identity to an everyday commuter touchpoint while celebrating the city’s cultural diversity. Each card represents a distinct culture, making every design a unique tribute to the communities that shape Washington, D.C.’s food scene. Through bold color, expressive illustration, and consistent typography, the set transforms a functional object into a collectible expression of the festival and of the city itself.
