CONTEXT

Wrapped in Black is BET’s inaugural holiday campaign, created to foster community, purpose, and shared celebration. By blending impactful storytelling with community-driven initiatives and strategic brand partnerships, the campaign sought to elevate BET’s holiday presence, strengthen audience loyalty, and reinforce a shared commitment to positive social impact.

At its core, Wrapped in Black reframes the holidays as a celebration of Black culture, legacy, and influence — expressed through food, fashion, art, and music. The campaign highlights the undeniable economic impact of the Black dollar during the holiday season, uplifting businesses and creators that reflect the values and vibrancy of the culture.

role & responsibilities

Role: Art Director

Responsibilities:

• Designed the static visual system for the on-air campaign, including branding, color palette, typography, and overall look and feel

• Established visual direction for animated assets and collaborated closely with motion designers to translate the system into dynamic on-air and out-of-home executions

• Developed toolkits to ensure a cohesive, scalable brand presence across all touchpoints

design direction

The bold visual language of Wrapped in Black draws directly from the core principles of the BET brand guide. The design leaned heavily into the rich hues of the traditional Federal color palette, paired with BET’s iconic panel system and graphic patterns.

By weaving these foundational brand elements into a holiday framework, the campaign created a visual experience that felt festive yet unmistakably BET — modern, vibrant, and culturally grounded. The result was a system that felt fresh without sacrificing brand recognition or integrity.

activations

The campaign extended beyond traditional marketing into experiential and community-driven activations:

• Holiday Eats Video Series
  Inspired by BET+ holiday films (A Wesley South Africa Christmas, Style Me for Christmas, A Christmas Miracle), the series featured Chef Daron creating fun, approachable holiday meals designed to bring warmth and connection to the table.

• Hip-Hop Holiday Pop-Up
  A one-of-a-kind activation staged beneath the iconic Apollo marquee, featuring a live performance by Jacquees alongside holiday carolers — blending classic holiday traditions with contemporary R&B energy. Neighborhood Elves distributed treats from brand partners, including Cloudy Donuts.

• Fan Engagement Moments
  Festive trivia and interactive moments encouraged participation while generating social-first content designed to extend the life of the campaign across platforms.

Reflection

Wrapped in Black was an opportunity to reimagine what a holiday campaign can be — one rooted in culture, community, and purpose. By grounding the work in BET’s brand DNA while expanding into experiential storytelling, the campaign created a meaningful and celebratory holiday moment that resonated across audiences and platforms.

Credits

Animator: Jun Lee
Creative Director: Nia Lawrence
Design Team: Alysson Castro