Super Bowl Cancer Awareness Campaign
Key Points
- Directed a national cancer screening message placed in the official NFL Super Bowl Program (print and digital).
- Delivered under a three-week timeline using AI-assisted concepting and precision compositing workflows.
- Reached tens of millions nationally, becoming one of CDC’s most visible public health awareness placements.
Details below
Challenge
CDC’s Cancer Division secured a rare half-page placement in the official NFL Super Bowl Program — both print and digital — requiring a compelling national cancer screening message within one of the most competitive media environments in the world.
The brief emphasized humanity, family, and representation across communities most affected by cancer. The timeline allowed just three weeks to concept, design, clear, and deliver a fully print-ready national placement.
The challenge was to create emotional clarity and visual impact under extreme time constraints without compromising quality or credibility.
High-visibility moments demand clarity, discipline, and emotional precision.
Strategy & Process
I assigned the project to a senior designer with advanced compositing experience while structuring collaborative review sessions to engage the broader 11-person creative team.
Given the compressed timeline, we leveraged AI-assisted concept development using Adobe Firefly and Midjourney to explore nine distinct creative directions. Three concepts advanced to refinement based on SME input and strategic alignment.
AI-generated artifacts required careful correction. We used Topaz for resolution enhancement and completed extensive compositing in Photoshop to resolve anatomical distortions, unify lighting, and ensure print-ready fidelity.
Throughout, we maintained structured feedback loops with CDC SMEs and internal stakeholders to align emotional resonance with scientific credibility.
Impact
The ad was published in the official NFL Super Bowl Program and amplified through NFL promotional channels reaching 36M+ followers. Additional distribution through sports and media influencers extended the campaign’s reach to an estimated 18M+ additional viewers.
The placement became one of CDC’s most widely viewed cancer awareness messages, expanding national visibility during a peak cultural moment. Internally, the campaign was recognized by leadership and partners for its creative clarity and effective integration of AI-assisted workflows.
Why I Included This
This campaign demonstrates high-visibility creative direction under compressed timelines, strategic integration of emerging AI tools, and team leadership during a nationally scaled public health moment.
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