Case Study: CASA — “Bobby Gets His Looks From His Father”

Role: Copywriter/ Designer

Project Type: Social Impact / Public Awareness Advertising Goal: Create a stark, emotionally charged visual that raises awareness about child abuse and reinforces the mission of CASA and National Child Abuse Prevention.

Project Overview This conceptual ad uses a direct, unsettling message to highlight the reality of child abuse. The design pairs a confronting visual with a simple, devastating line to emphasize the urgency of advocacy and intervention. The goal was to create a piece that is impossible to ignore and communicates the seriousness of CASA’s mission.

Problem Public awareness campaigns often struggle to break through emotional fatigue or desensitization. The challenge was to create a message that is honest, impactful, and respectful — without resorting to sensationalism. The design needed to communicate urgency while maintaining dignity for the subject.

Solution I used a stark, close up portrait to create immediate emotional connection. The headline — “Bobby gets his looks from his father.” — delivers a chilling double meaning that forces the viewer to confront the reality of abuse. The right side panel introduces the National Child Abuse Prevention message and CASA branding, grounding the emotional impact in a call for advocacy.

Before / After • Shifted from general awareness messaging to direct emotional storytelling • Used a confronting portrait to create immediate empathy • Crafted a headline that communicates the issue through implication rather than graphic detail • Balanced emotional impact with clear organizational branding • Reinforced advocacy through color, tone, and layout

Process I explored visual approaches that communicate the seriousness of child abuse without exploiting the subject. The headline was developed to deliver maximum emotional weight with minimal words. The layout intentionally separates the emotional image from the informational panel, allowing viewers to process the message before seeing the advocacy call. The final design is clean, respectful, and intentionally uncomfortable — as the topic demands.

Tools Photoshop Illustrator

Outcome The final ad delivers a powerful, emotionally resonant message that raises awareness and reinforces CASA’s mission. By combining a confronting visual with a devastating headline, the design creates a memorable and impactful advocacy piece — a strong addition to your microsite’s social impact section.