Hearth & Home Technology: Warning Against Direct Venting

Hearth & Home, makers of several brands of fireplaces, knew that there were some very real health risks to unvented fireplaces. These invisible dangers needed to be brought to life so consumers could understand the risks of this alternative fireplace venting system. Since the real dangers, carbon monoxide, dust and soot particles and added moisture, are almost invisible, we needed to create an icon that would symbolize all the dangers quickly and in a memorable way.  The solution was the “Monsters: campaign.

Not only did it clearly represent the evils of direct vent fireplaces, it was memorable, eye-catching and easy to expand into every point of customer contact. From point-of-purchase to the website to advertising and collateral this idea works well wherever it is needed.

As a side note, the client liked my rough sketches so much that I got to do the final illustrations. This gave me a chance to try something a little different and really dig in to Adobe Illustrator and learn some new techniques. It made for a fun and rewarding experience and , ultimately, a strong campaign.