VERITAS GENETICS

To promote the historic drop in price of their DNA testing service, Veritas Genetics wanted to make a strong statement across social platforms. Realizing the campaign would launch two days before Independence Day, we chose “Revolutionary” as the main message, styled to mimic a dictionary definition. Since the comprehensive DNA product Veritas offers is indeed revolutionary in its field, this was not an overstatement. We went bold with an iconic image (courtesy of Wikimedia Commons), tinted in the energetic red hue from the Veritas brand palette.

A sampling of social ads I’ve concepted and designed for various clients.

VERITAS GENETICS

Veritas wanted to promote customer testimonials in a social media campaign. I proposed and designed ads that feature the client in a stylized portrait—looking toward the future with confidence and clarity—alongside their powerful quote, and highlighting a word or phrase that gets to the heart of why DNA testing can make a difference.

VERITAS GENETICS

As a DNA sequencing company looking to make an impact with customers, Veritas Genetics needed a corporate brochure that is “out of the box.” I mocked up several designs that fold into 9 panels and fit into a die-cut sleeve revealing a key. The piece reflects the DNA journey as well as the company’s commitment to helping guide customers on that journey.

FATAL LIGHT AWARENESS PROGRAM

Every year, millions of birds migrating at night die in collisions with high-rise buildings, due to disorientation from the bright building lights. The Fatal Light Awareness Program educates building managers and the public about this threat, and how the simple act of turning off or dimming building lights at night during migration season can significantly reduce fatalities.

I'm working on a mock campaign with a strong yet playful theme and call to action to “Flip Off!” building lights at night.

VERITAS GENETICS

The client wanted to promote its comprehensive DNA test in a trade magazine. We strategized the message “Where do you want to begin your exploration?” to highlight the broad array of services the company offers, the high volume of results, and to complement their main headline “Your Genome. Your Journey.”

The combination of a closeup photograph of a striking woman looking straight ahead, and a brand-inspired triangle pattern overlay reflects the human aspect of genetic testing along with its cutting-edge technology. We purchased a full page ad (right side of spread) and the open column ad space next to the credits on the left page of the spread, so that our design appears to span the two pages.

CIC HEALTH

CIC Health facilitates Covid testing throughout New England. One of its initiatives in partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is free testing sites in the Boston area, particularly in areas where English is a second language.

To promote these free Boston sites, we created a fun superhero-themed ad to reach our Spanish-speaking audience through the local paper, El Planeta. The message was “You’re a superhero helping to protect the community when you get tested for Covid”.

Concept: CIC Health Marketing
Design and Illustration: Monika Chas

FUELIFY

Euromoney Institutional Investor launched an in-house digital solutions agency called "Fuelify". They requested a modern, dynamic logo to contrast their conservative parent brand. I created a design that reflects the sense of action evident in their agency name, aiming for a clean yet fun aesthetic that conveys efficient, forward motion.

Infographics and dashboards offer highly visual approaches to presenting data. I begin each project by reviewing main themes and interpreting patterns. After agreeing with the client on clear messaging and hierarchy, I produce initial sketches, followed by preliminary designs that I build in Illustrator. A follow-up conversation with the client helps identify where we can clarify information. Accuracy is crucial, and I strive for efficient, playful designs.

Sample decks for CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center, a workspace incubator) and CIC Health (their public health division).

For any visual aid, I meet with stakeholders to review goals, target audience, and preliminary content. I create branded master slides as the backbone of the deck—often helping with the organizational flow, collaborating on edits, and reducing redundancies where needed to build a strong narrative. I introduce supporting imagery such as stylized icons, charts, infographics, photography, and illustrations to make the presentation shine. The result is a clear, impactful information piece that complements the speaker or stands on its own.

VERITAS GENETICS

I updated the Veritas newsletter/email template design and worked with the marketing team to strategize a flexible format, new headline approach, new section header titles, and the decision to consistently tie the main story to the monthly blog. Every month I create new cover and sub-story imagery, and customize them for the blog and social media campaign. Analytics show that our readership has increased by 40% since the new design and strategy.

Prior to 2017 I designed a (then) new Veritas newsletter header, and on two occasions created a scrollable illustration for a one-story newsletter that promoted a special blog post.

SIERRA CLUB OF MASSACHUSETTS
Pro-Bono

The Sierra Club needed a theme to promote their disposable plastic bag ban effort. I proposed and designed the "BagBusters" concept—a spoof of the Ghostbusters movie poster—for flyers, posters, and re-usable grocery bags.

VERITAS GENETICS

The client requested a social media campaign to highlight three selling points for their main product, a comprehensive DNA test. I recommended a short animated ad to better engage the viewer, and created two concepts in the program After Effects: Ad A (view here) and Ad B (view here).

CIC HEALTH
Art Direction and Design

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts hired CIC Health to create the communications and on-site experiences for four mass COVID vaccination sites: Gillette Stadium. Fenway Park, Hynes Convention Center, and Reggie Lewis Center.

I art directed and/or designed collateral for this once-in-a-lifetime campaign, collaborating with our creative director, marketing manager, contract designer, and social media manager.

We had to work FAST, launching four sites in three months. Our goal was to create an organized, friendly, and stylish experience for patients and staff. Each site had its own character, challenges, and opportunities.

Projects included flow signage, educational materials, promotional flyers, postcards, posters, social media advertising, banners, and button mementos. One of our sites included a live mural project in collaboration with local college students!

CIC HEALTH

Art Direction and Design

CIC Health is a COVID testing and vaccination company that facilitates group testing (known as pooled testing) for large groups such as schools, camps, and companies.

They asked me to create a shippable kit that is engaging, easy to use, and can accommodate up to 50 testing swabs (5 tubes, each of which can contain up to 10 swabs).

I art directed designer Sergio Ordonez to design a stylish, branded 9”x7” kit that includes an overview card and a tray to hide and protect the testing materials, as well as to hold one tube during sample collection. With the launch of this new kit, sales increased threefold.

VERITAS GENETICS

For participation in Hubweek 2017, Boston’s science, technology and art event, Veritas wanted to promote their new website and free DNA product offer. The marketing team strategized the theme “Your Genome. Your Journey.” and “Where Does Your Journey Begin?” which I integrated into cards, flyers and t-shirts that also included a URL and QR code to the new site and offer.

BC ESSENTIALS

The client is an aromatherapy shop in Massachusetts, selling hand-crafted essential oils and other bath and body products. The owner wanted to elevate the overarching branding as well as the labeling to reflect the fine quality of their products. Laura Maccarone of Rizbee Design Studio was contracted for the job, and she hired me as a consultant, designer, and watercolor artist to help create a thoughtful, vernacular system for dozens of products and aromatherapy scents. Thanks to the updated design, product sales have increased and are now being sold regionally in high-end boutiques.

Flyers to suit any goal and occasion.

Remote Video Resources (RVR) provides broadcast-level productions for live, multi-camera webcasts. A once niche market in Boston, their business began growing rapidly in 2019, and even more in the new world of COVID.

RVR’s owner asked me to create a CMS-based website to update and showcase the company’s work, highlighting their impressive client base such as Harvard University and TedEx, and portraying RVR as the more modern service they’ve become. I created their new website from scratch using the Squarespace platform, carefully curating RVR’s portfolio, and writing new content with a fresh and engaging feel.

PEARSON EDUCATION

Pearson asked me to illustrate and design the theme for their 2015 international conference on technology in collegiate math, hosted in Las Vegas.

I created an illustration combining iconography from the world of technology and the city of Vegas, while hewing to Pearson's branding. I designed marketing collateral ranging from a brochure and event signage to a t-shirt and registration booth panels. I also supervised the application of the illustration and theme for the main website.

PEARSON EDUCATION

The Pearson Catalyst program works with students who share and promote Pearson's commitment to improving people’s lives through learning. For their conference in Nashville, Pearson wanted to create excitement around its “Rockstar Insider” campaign. I had fun creating the music-themed logo which was applied to t-shirts and various collateral distributed at the conference.

COMMUNE CAFE

The proprietor of a new, local cafe sought a logo to promote the idea of hand-brewed coffee and home-made crepes served in an airy yet warm communal space, with a hint of retro. I designed the Commune logo pairing a 30s-style font with the silhouette of an old stovetop espresso maker, recalling local diners and coffee houses of the past. The three main attractions — coffee, crepes, community — encircle the logo in a welcoming typeface. The logo is featured in signage (cafe window decal, painted on the interior brick wall, and entry floor mat), as well as napkins and menus. I mocked up the logo for usage on to-go coffee cups and bags.

CONTINUING EDUCATION PROJECT

For a sustainable repackaging assignment at MassArt, I sub-branded headphones made by Skullcandy and created a hexagonal shell for the package. The headphones reminded me of alien eyes from old movies, so I renamed the product "UFOs" and added the tagline: "Out of this world sound!". Using chipboard, I created a six-sided "pod" as the protective packaging. The final piece opens like a fictional spaceship and can be re-used as a carrying case.

A few more logos I’ve created for various clients.

FIREFLY HEALTH

Welcome Kit prototype for a telemedicine company.

Paper still makes an impact in today’s digital world. Holding a fun, informative piece in your hands can make a lasting impression.