In December 2011, Maloney & Fox was asked to design a booklet for No Labels, a non-profit, bipartisan group of Republicans, Democrats and independents, dedicated to a simple proposition: We want our government to work again. No Labels believes the biggest problem with Congress is the outdated rules; the booklet, titled Make Congress Work!, maps out No Labels’ 12 steps on how to fix communication in Congress. The audience includes both members of Congress as well as the American people. The booklet design is unexpected and non-traditional—beyond anything seen before in a Senate hearing. When presented to all members of Congress, the brochure’s arresting color blocks and bold typography captured attention. The booklet was presented at a March 2012 Senate hearing in Washington, DC. The booklet was also highlighted—spread by spread—in a six-minute segment on MSNBC’s popular morning program, “Morning Joe."

Read the full case study with juror comments here: [http://www.aiga.org/justified-2012--case-study--make-congress-work/]

This important project is a great example of “form follows function.” The design is no less and no more than is called for, and the case for effectiveness is well supported. By all accounts, the piece successfully invites dialogue—the first step toward making Congress work. —Monica Little