After Art Directing two successful campaigns for sister company Pastry Footwear, Defined by Media was brought in to oversee and develop the Spring 2007 campaign for Run Athletics’ Arthur Ashe line featuring Tariq Trotter (Black Thought) of the Roots. As a seminal black civil rights activist during the 1970’s and 1980’s, Ashe's impact is still felt today. And the torch of his struggle to raise awareness in urban communities is carried on by modern figures such as Trotter himself. This campaign utilizes historical footage and iconography from Ashe’s life to represent the lasting impact of his actions in our thoughts, and on our lives today.

The campaign began with a Defined by Media directed photo shoot in Brooklyn, New York. Following photographic retouch, the “cream on white” photos were brought back to the dBM studios for graphic treatment. Dozens of graphics were layered in the bare regions surrounding Trotter including images from Ashe’s win at the Grand Slam, iconography from his alma mater, UCLA, and the AIDS ribbon as a reminder of all the awareness he brought to sufferers worldwide. The graphics were retooled in varying layers of intensity (the above are the initial subtle and harsh renditions) until a final layout was agreed upon (below.)