The situation
NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) will be the most powerful rocket ever built. When competed, SLS will enable astronauts to begin their journey to explore destinations far into our solar system. But the space program team needed a way to communicate publicly to the Capitol Hill audience in the US Government using Facebook and Twitter. The goal was to provide easy-to-understand information about the historical Boeing / NASA relationship as well as Boeing's aerospace industry footprint and the socio-economic impact of its jobs and suppliers. It was strongly felt that this would substantially increase public and government (political) support.
The creative approach
By proposing the use of a series of unique infographics, the Boeing creative team would be able to deliver detailed information AND a context that really helped the audience interpret what all of the large numbers truly meant. For example, program communicators wanted to share how the launch rocket held 5.2 million pounds of fuel. Certainly, that is a lot of fuel, but without a basis of comparison, the average person would naturally have difficulty visualizing just how much fuel that was. By referencing a common, relatable visual standard--in this case, an Olympic sized swimming pool –the audience could relate to just how big the rocket was, helping bring the numbers to life and giving them greater meaning.
Additionally, beyond the initial objective, the creative team pushed to share more than what was initially slated; looking at the program from the perspective of a space enthusiast and what they would want to know. In response, the team provided more content that told a more complete story about the rocket. That is, the team deconstructed the rocket boosters and the upper stage crew module and provided more detail using uncomplicated language, told why it was the world's most powerful rocket, what missions were planned, and described a flight path to the moon and beyond — all created to satisfy the interest of a more intrigued audience.
The results
It is always my goal as Creative Director to get into the minds of the audience and ask the questions they want answered while making information engaging and easier to understand. On this particular set of graphics, we were able to offer a viewpoint that was less myopic than our program partners while delivering a set of infographics that received thousands of shares on social media and spurred great dialogue with US government personnel.
