Our Work

Make-A-Wish® Northern Alberta

Dreaming big: Life-sized wishes for larger-than-life Wish Kids.

Opportunity

Since 2016, zag has helped the organization execute a larger-than-life illustrated advent calendar standing 40-feet-tall on Edmonton’s beloved Jasper Ave. Each year, the calendar makes heads turn and hearts grow.

Make-A-Wish® Northern Alberta was in need of a way to boost donations from corporate sponsors and individual donors. The brand was well-known and well-loved, but with challenging economy, sponsorships became fewer and further between. To make sure the organization was able to fulfill the wishes of as many kids as possible would take a bold creative concept paired with an outside-the-box execution.

Approach

To solve this challenge, we developed a 40-foot experiential advent calendar that stood in the downtown core throughout the month of December. Each day, a sponsored door was opened and a wish granted. We knew the creative needed to be eye-catching with a touch of whimsy to align with the organization and its mission. The resulting fantasy-style illustration represented the bravery Wish Kids demonstrate in the face of illness, and the magic that Make-A-Wish® brings into their lives through the help of donors. Enter: the Calendar of Wishes. Since its 2016 inception, the Calendar of Wishes grew a life of its own and zag has partnered with Make-A-Wish® Northern Alberta to continue its success.

Character Design

Execution

Our team created the larger-than-life wish advent calendars, as well as a virtual version on the Make-A-Wish® Northern Alberta website. The physical calendars turned heads and supported word-of-mouth to keep Make-A-Wish® top of mind heading into the holiday season.

We developed dynamic sponsor ads, crafted engaging social media posts, and designed impactful OOH ads. Meticulously drawn, custom vector illustrations were created with a whimsical theme and left no detail out, ensuring a hopeful and inspiring visual experience. Event planning and event collateral supported the organization’s initiatives to increase awareness and donations. Our innovative sponsor email signatures and calendar designs celebrated key milestones and the transformative impact of wish fulfillment throughout the year.

Results

The enhanced physical and digital presence significantly increased engagement and visibility for Make-A-Wish® Northern Alberta. The concept received national praise and attention, and inspired Make-A-Wish® chapters around the country to consider it for a national activation. zag was awarded a 2016 ACE Award of Distinction in Illustration for the Calendar of Wishes.