The day I learned that the Vera Bradley campaign I concepted was unanimously favored in focus group testing was incredibly validating. Admittedly, I was a bit surprised. At the time, Vera Bradley’s imagery leaned heavily on beautifully styled models posed in picturesque, aspirational settings.

This concept had to be different.

I envisioned a campaign grounded in relatable, authentic moments. Images that told small stories and captured slices of real life. Each photo featured naturally beautiful talent wearing clothes that complemented their personality, activity, and, of course, the product. Expressions ranged beyond the expected smile — because life does, too. The creative intent was simple: show women doing familiar, joyful things while carrying their favorite bag. In doing so, we’d connect through emotion and authenticity — not perfection.

And that’s exactly what happened. The focus group responded with heartfelt feedback:

And so the visual creation begun. Designing photo concepts that would appear in national print ads, targeted OLA, website elements, direct-mail brochures, in-store signage and  social videos.