PINKTOBER® × Dominique Crenn

Hard Rock International

Art Direction — Redline Media Group
Client: Hard Rock International In partnership with Chef Dominique Crenn
Campaign: PINKTOBER® • Year: 2022

Art Director, responsible for the campaign's full visual execution — from concept to in-location production — across Hard Rock's global footprint.

My Role

Overview

Hard Rock International's PINKTOBER® campaign is a 23-year-running global fundraising initiative supporting the American Cancer Society and local breast cancer charities, activated across every Hard Rock Cafe, hotel,
and casino worldwide each October. For its 2022 edition, the brand shifted its ambassador strategy: rather
than a globally famous name, the campaign centered on Chef Dominique Crenn — a Michelin-starred,
Iron Chef-recognized chef known for her philanthropic work across Colombia and South America, and a breast cancer survivor herself. I was part of the internal creative team involved in shaping that ambassador direction
during early campaign strategy conversations with the client, and led the art direction for the full campaign rollout.

Process

I coordinated and art directed the campaign photoshoot with Chef Crenn, then designed the complete system of deliverables built around a limited-edition PINKTOBER menu created in partnership with her, including:

  • Menu design (limited-edition seasonal items)

  • Table tents, posters, and lightbox displays

  • Billboards and window banners/window clings

  • Branded chef coats worn by Hard Rock kitchen staff throughout October

  • Social media teaser campaign and full post design system

The work required translating a philanthropic, emotionally resonant cause into a cohesive visual system that could scale across every Hard Rock location worldwide — cafes, hotels, and casinos — while staying true to both the brand's rock-and-roll identity and the cause's sensitivity.

IMPACT

PINKTOBER's 2022 edition marked Hard Rock's 23rd consecutive year of the program, which has raised millions of dollars for breast cancer research since its inception in 2000 — including a record $700,000+ raised the prior year alone, the largest single-year total in the campaign's history at that point. The Dominique Crenn partnership was featured in Hard Rock's official global press release and national PR coverage (PRNewswire), positioning the campaign at the center of the brand's 2022 corporate social responsibility efforts. Proceeds benefited the American Cancer Society and local charity partners across every participating market.