The custom sleeve featured the names of every individual interviewed and included in the book, turning packaging into a gesture of recognition.
This project reflects my interest in creative strategy that connects story, audience and purpose — shaping work that is not only visually resolved, but emotionally and conceptually meaningful.
Empathy
Shaping a human-centred narrative around dignity, visibility and social impact
Empathy was conceived as more than a coffee table book. It was a strategic storytelling platform created in support of the Sun International CEO SleepOut, designed to build empathy, awareness and public engagement around the realities of homelessness in South Africa.
Developed in collaboration with photographer Debbie Yazbeck, the project brought together portrait photography, first-hand interviews and a carefully considered editorial experience to ensure the people featured were represented with dignity, honesty and humanity. My role sat at the intersection of creative strategy, narrative development and creative direction, helping shape how the project would be positioned, experienced and extended beyond the book itself.
A central part of the strategy was defining an editorial and visual approach that avoided sensationalism. Instead of framing homelessness as an abstract social issue, the project focused on individual stories, identities and lived experiences. The design language was intentionally restrained, allowing the content to lead while reinforcing trust, clarity and emotional resonance.
I led the development of the overall creative direction, editorial structure and visual coherence of the project, while also ensuring that the Empathy identity aligned with the wider Sun International CEO SleepOut brand suite. One of the most meaningful details was the custom sleeve, which carried the names of all the people interviewed and featured in the book. This transformed the packaging into a symbolic layer of acknowledgement, making recognition part of the concept itself.
The project also extended into a broader campaign environment. The book launch in Braamfontein was staged in an alleyway closely connected to the lived context of the subject matter, turning the release into an immersive brand and storytelling experience. Supporting assets, including branded apparel, merchandise and printed collateral, helped create a unified audience journey, while limited-edition portrait prints contributed to fundraising and expanded the reach of the campaign.
This project reflects my approach to creative consulting: using story, structure, identity and audience experience to turn communication into something more meaningful, memorable and strategically aligned.
A purpose-led publication designed to create dignity, visibility and emotional connection.
Portrait-led storytelling designed to foreground the person, not the stereotype.
A disciplined editorial approach allowed each story to land with clarity, weight and humanity.
Typography and layout were used strategically to support emotion without overpowering the content.
Supporting collateral helped bridge the publication with the live audience experience.
The visual system extended into launch communications, helping create a cohesive campaign experience.
The project came to life through a site-specific Braamfontein launch designed to deepen engagement and support fundraising.