The Banned Market Campaign
A campaign that challenges book bans.
Overview
Books are being banned at an alarming rate, silencing diverse voices and important stories. Book bans don’t just take away characters—they take away access to diverse worldviews and erase the real stories behind every page. However, censorship doesn’t have to win.
I created a campaign that addresses the issue of banned books.
Roles
Art Direction, Graphic Design, Strategy
Tools
Canva, Google Slides, Adobe Photoshop
Duration
1 week, February 2025
Team
2 people, concept
How do we foster curiosity about reading banned books while also making an “illegal” commodity available?
Solution
We'll re-release banned books under new titles and make them accessible on an incognito website that operates much like a black market. We'll have have pop-ups that appear in front of libraries with those retitled books to create access to otherwise inaccessible books.
The Buzz
We’ll drive traffic to the webpage by creating an online conspiracy about our banned book black market. This conspiracy will be fueled by the sudden appearance of the birdcage, a logo that embodies the suppression of these books. Specifically, we'll place The Banned Market QR codes inside libraries and partner with #booktok influencers and authors.
Takeaway
This campaign is all about access. If I were to work on this project longer, I would consider even more ways to truly make these books available to others. While an online market is technically accessible anywhere in the world, it's simultaneously intangible. More real-world activations might be the key.
This project, being only a concept, allowed me to consider my own personal values more than I might be able to do when there are many stakeholders with conflicting values.