Dayton Green Days
Dayton Green Days was designed to inspire community action through clean-up events across Five Rivers MetroParks. The campaign connected sustainability with social connection, making it easy, social, and meaningful for volunteers to get involved.
Dayton MetroParks had strong community support but lacked a campaign to mobilize young adults for volunteer clean-ups. The goal was to create a campaign that recruited at least 500 volunteers, reached 10,000+ Dayton residents, and built long-term awareness through social and grassroots channels.
The campaign came to life through posters, social media reels, t-shirts, and grassroots promotion.
Instagram and TikTok reels showcased the hashtag challenge (#DaytonGreenDays) invited people to share before-and-after cleanup photos.
Flyers placed near campuses, coffee shops, and breweries reinforced awareness offline, and branded t-shirts turned early volunteers into walking advocates.
Research showed that young adults in Dayton are active on social media, value sustainability, and see local parks as community hubs. With 76% saying they would join a clean-up if it fit their schedule, we created a campaign that emphasized storytelling, shareability, and accessibility.
The creative direction centered on a clean, bold illustration of hands holding a leaf — a symbol of stewardship and collective care. The visual style paired approachable illustrations with a confident, direct tone.
The campaign’s media plan followed a clear journey: Awareness (social ads, PSAs, press outreach), Engagement (challenges, countdowns), Action (sign-ups, text reminders, live updates), and Celebration (recaps and thank-you messages). This multi-touch strategy kept volunteers motivated from start to finish.
Dayton Green Days wasn’t just a clean-up — it was positioned as a movement.
Through thoughtful planning, community partnerships, and grassroots storytelling, the campaign showed how design can inspire real-world action. For me, this project was about blending strategy and creativity to make sustainability approachable, social, and lasting
