Be the Light | Integrated Marketing Campaign
Art Direction | Campaign Concept | Video Production | Brand Design
A purpose-driven campaign developed for Youth For Understanding USA's 75th anniversary, connecting the organization's legacy of intercultural understanding with a contemporary message of hope, human connection, and global citizenship.
CAMPAIGN IMPACT
Launched a seven-video, multi-audience campaign connecting YFU USA's 75-year legacy to contemporary opportunities for intercultural exchange.
The active campaign combines authentic podcast testimonials, unified anniversary branding, and paid digital advertising tailored to students, parents, host families, volunteers, Local Coordinators, and donors.
Audience-specific messaging, creative testing, and coordinated calls to action support awareness, recruitment, and engagement across multiple YFU programs.
Project Overview
To celebrate 75 years of fostering intercultural understanding, YFU USA launched Be the Light, an integrated marketing campaign inspired by the organization's founding mission of building a more peaceful world through international exchange.
Built around the message “When the world feels dark… Be the Light,” the active campaign connects YFU's legacy to present-day opportunities to study abroad, host an international student, volunteer, and support the organization through charitable giving.
The campaign features a coordinated series of testimonial-driven videos, anniversary branding, and digital communications designed to reach multiple audiences through one unified creative concept.
Objectives
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Celebrate YFU's 75-year legacy and reinforce its mission of intercultural understanding.
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Develop a unified creative campaign that connects multiple audiences and programs.
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Inspire participation through authentic stories and emotionally engaging messaging.
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Establish a consistent visual direction across digital video, social media, and anniversary branding.
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Encourage audiences to take meaningful action through YFU programs and opportunities.
Creative Strategy
The Be the Light concept draws inspiration from YFU founder Dr. Rachel Andresen's vision following World War II: “So that the lights would never go out again.”
Seventy-five years later, the campaign reinterprets that message for a world still in need of greater understanding, connection, and hope.
Each video opens with the statement “When the world feels dark…” before transitioning to “Be the Light.” This visual contrast establishes a consistent emotional foundation across the campaign.
Authentic testimonials from YFU's Life Exchanged podcast carry the story forward, replacing traditional advertising scripts with real experiences from students, host families, volunteers, and supporters.
The creative framework extends across seven videos, with audience-specific stories, messaging, and calls to action encouraging viewers to study abroad, host, volunteer, become a Local Coordinator, or support the mission through giving.
Be the Light | Campaign Video Series
Seven audience-focused videos share a consistent dark-to-light opening and visual identity, while featuring distinct testimonial stories and calls to action. Drawing from authentic Life Exchanged podcast conversations, each video adapts the overarching campaign message to connect with different audiences and opportunities for intercultural exchange.
75th Anniversary | Honoring YFU's Founding Vision
Created a commemorative 75th-anniversary logo and social reel highlighting founder Dr. Rachel Andresen's vision that the lights would never go out again. The reel connects YFU's beginnings following World War II to the Be the Light campaign's contemporary message of hope and intercultural understanding.
My Role | Campaign Concept, Art Direction & Video Production
Originated the Be the Light campaign concept, drawing inspiration from YFU founder Dr. Rachel Andresen's vision of ensuring “the lights would never go out again.”
Developed the campaign's creative direction and 75th-anniversary visual identity, including logo design, digital assets, and video storytelling.
Produced and edited seven audience-specific campaign videos using authentic testimonials from YFU's Life Exchanged podcast. Established a consistent visual approach through typography, imagery, pacing, and the signature dark-to-light opening sequence.
Collaborated with the marketing team to support campaign deployment across paid digital channels, with media targeting, ad management, and performance optimization handled by marketing leadership.
