Your Call: A Phone Booth That Brought Stories to Life

At the heart of Columbus College of Art & Design’s (CCAD) mission to attract prospective students was a simple but ingenious tool: a one-of-a-kind phone booth. This unique installation became the centerpiece of Your Call, a campaign designed to amplify student voices and showcase the creative spirit that defines life at CCAD.
The phone booth, equipped with a vintage rotary phone, invited students to share their experiences in an intimate and authentic way. When picked up, the phone asked one of 18 pre-recorded questions about life at CCAD, encouraging unscripted reflections. Over two days, this interactive installation captured 168 voicemails, each filled with genuine stories that reflected the individuality and creativity of CCAD’s students.
But the phone booth was more than just a tool for collecting stories—it was a symbol of connection. Its tactile, retro design offered a moment of pause in the digital age, inviting participants to engage in a timeless act: answering a call and sharing their voice.
The campaign didn’t end with the phone booth. Each voicemail was transformed into an animated or motion video, crafted to reflect the personal style of the student storyteller. These videos, along with the phone booth itself, became the foundation of a larger campaign that spanned digital platforms, branding, environmental design, web design, and animation.
The phone booth set Your Call apart in a crowded field of college recruitment efforts. It not only captured authentic student perspectives but also embodied the creative and tactile approach that defines CCAD. By seamlessly blending analog and digital storytelling, the booth became a tool for connection, creativity, and inspiration.
With the phone booth as its anchor, Your Call elevated CCAD’s recruitment strategy, transforming the act of sharing a story into a moment of artistic expression and setting a new standard for college storytelling.