Design.

Applied Projects: Same Money Different Story

Client: Ottawa Public Health

Topic: Problem Gambling Among Young Adults

“Same money, different story” is a campaign project focused on early signs of problem gambling among young professionals in Ottawa. We designed a layered experience that connects physical and digital touch-points. Posters and digital ads are the first point of contact. They use simple comparisons to show the difference between gambling and everyday local experiences. The website continues this idea by
introducing local places, events, and businesses in Ottawa, helping people see where their money could go instead.

I came into this project as a videographer, quickly, we shifted focus towards design, and I had adapt to a new role and situation.

Learning graphic design through this project made me realize how challenging it is to separate personal attachment from the work, especially when responding to client feedback. At first, it was difficult to change or remove design elements I had spent time developing. I found myself wanting to defend decisions rather than fully understanding the feedback. Over time, I began to see that client input isn’t about rejecting the work—it’s about refining it to better meet the intended audience and purpose.

Adapting designs based on feedback was one of the hardest but most valuable parts of the process. It required flexibility, patience, and a willingness to iterate quickly. Sometimes changes felt small, but they had a big impact on clarity and effectiveness. Other times, feedback meant reworking entire sections, which forced me to rethink my approach rather than just tweak visuals. This helped me understand that strong design isn’t about the first idea, but about the process of improving it.

This experience also strengthened my ability to interpret feedback more critically. Instead of taking comments at face value, I started to look for the underlying problem being identified—whether it was confusion, lack of impact, or misalignment with the message. That shift helped me respond more strategically and make changes that actually improved the design rather than just reacting to notes.

Leading a Team

Designing a media campaign as a team leader required me to balance creative direction with clear, consistent communication. I learned quickly that having a strong concept isn’t enough—everyone on the team needs to fully understand it and see how their role connects to the larger idea.

One of the biggest challenges in creating the “Same Money, Different Story” campaign was aligning everyone around a single, clear direction. Early on, different team members had slightly different interpretations of the concept, which led to inconsistencies in tone and execution.

Communication became one of the most critical skills in the process. I had to be intentional about how I gave feedback, making sure it was direct, constructive, and tied back to the campaign goals rather than personal preference. Regular check-ins and open discussions helped keep the team on track while also giving space for new ideas. I found that listening was just as important as directing—some of the strongest outcomes came from building on team input rather than controlling every detail.

From a leadership perspective, I developed a better understanding of pacing and delegation. Managing timelines, distributing tasks effectively, and ensuring accountability across the team were key to maintaining momentum. It also meant adapting to challenges, whether that was refining the concept, resolving miscommunication, or adjusting workloads.

Overall, this experience reinforced that strong campaigns are built through collaboration. Clear communication, shared understanding, and trust within the team are what allow a concept to move from an idea into a cohesive, impactful final product.

City Studio - Hubbub Poster - OPH