Covered California
/ Overview
Rebuilding trust and enrollment through a vibrant, science-inspired brand identity.
Group Design Director: Michael Ceraulo
Designers: Andres Lombardo, Thao Le, Wes Eramo
Chief Creative Officer: Jo Shoesmith
The Setup
Covered California was facing a critical decline in enrollment and a surge in public mistrust. The state's marketplace needed to shed its identity as a drab, "conservative" government program and re-emerge as a modern, trustworthy ally for all Californians.
The Objective
Our goal was to distance the brand from the traditional, clinical aesthetic of healthcare and align it with a vibrant, tech-forward look, essentially becoming "the Google of healthcare." We needed to create a visual identity that felt human and approachable while signaling a shift toward a science-driven, tech-forward future.
We developed a campaign identity that anchored the brand's legacy elements inside a high-energy visual system. This included a vibrant new palette and a signature graphic language inspired by cellular structures—evoking both biological life and interconnected technology. By centering the narrative on the diverse people of California, we repositioned the marketplace as an essential, approachable platform.
The rollout spanned California's vast demographic landscape, moving seamlessly from high-impact OOH to small business postcards. By maintaining a consistent, human-centric pulse across these touchpoints, the final experience felt less like a government agency and more like an intuitive, modern tech platform.
To bridge the gap between policy and people, we integrated a playful illustration style into the system, extending the brand's approachable tone into everything from social engagement to complex educational materials.
Covered California
Total Enrollees
Increase in Enrollment
Positive Brand Sentiment