hello! I am nikhil dhanwatey
a strategic designer
My experience spans dynamic digital campaigns and transformative brand initiatives across large institutions, including roles within the Indian government.
Whether developing a cohesive identity for a pan-India governmental body or executing multi-channel communications for major public institutions, I leverage design thinking; using tools like empathy mapping, journey mapping, and rapid prototyping-to solve complex challenges and enhance user experiences.
This portfolio is a curated collection of projects that showcase my commitment to human-centered design, creative storytelling, and strategic execution in high-stakes environments.
I invite you to explore my work and see how I transform intricate challenges into engaging, impactful experiences.
COVID 19 Outreach Campaign - City of Mumbai
Overview:
As a Consultant in the Commissioner's Office at the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, I managed an extensive, multi-format COVID-19 awareness campaign designed to educate Mumbai’s population of over 20 million about critical health and safety protocols during the early stages of the pandemic.
This campaign leveraged a strategic network of 1,118 billboards, 24,000 posters, and 2 public service announcement films, covering an area of 603 km².
Employing design thinking methodologies, empathy-driven insights, and iterative processes, we ensured targeted and impactful public communication.
In addition to this campaign, my responsibilities included streamlining COVID-19 data collection from 56 hospitals, enhancing public grievance redressal systems through social media-based customer journey mapping, managing multimedia campaigns for governmental surveys, and co-designing city-wide infrastructure initiatives.
Role & Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning & Content Development
Applied empathy mapping and user-centered design approaches by collaborating with 24 administrative divisions of Mumbai to gather, assimilate, and analyze demographic data for precise targeting.
Facilitated ideation and rapid prototyping sessions with four diverse design teams, ensuring creatives and multilingual content effectively addressed varying community needs and contexts.
Project Execution & Management
Negotiated with billboard and advertising space owners, securing exclusive usage for COVID-19 awareness messaging by clearly articulating collective societal benefits.
Managed iterative cycles of prototyping and production with six printing agencies, optimizing processes for efficient material output despite challenging lockdown conditions.
Coordinated closely with administrative officials and advertising professionals to guarantee rapid and responsive deployment of all visual assets city-wide.
Impact:
Delivered timely, widespread public health communication that effectively reached millions, significantly aiding Mumbai’s early-stage pandemic response.
Garnered extensive media coverage from major outlets, including ABP News, Times of India, Business Standard, and Indian Express, highlighting the effectiveness and scale of the awareness initiative.
Public Outreach Films - City of Mumbai
Overview:
Co-led the development and distribution of 12 public service announcement films aimed at highlighting crucial public health, civic responsibility, and safety messages across Mumbai. Utilizing design thinking principles such as co-design sessions, iterative storyboarding, and script refinement processes, these films effectively communicated critical information in an engaging and relatable manner.
Role & Responsibilities:
Storyboarding & Scriptwriting
Co-led storyboarding sessions and scriptwriting processes, ensuring narratives were compelling, culturally sensitive, and aligned with the diverse perspectives and needs of Mumbai’s population.
Facilitated rapid iteration sessions with creative teams to refine messaging, enhance clarity, and maximize emotional impact.
Production & Distribution Facilitation
Coordinated production logistics, from pre-production planning to final filming, ensuring smooth execution under tight deadlines.
Managed strategic distribution channels, securing screenings across 206 cinema screens city-wide.
Impact:
Achieved widespread visibility by screening the films before every commercial feature on 206 cinema screens for a continuous period of 90 days.
Generated approximately 24.45 million impressions*, significantly enhancing community engagement and awareness of critical public health and civic services.
*calculated by: (0.75) x (avg. seats per screen) x (avg. number of screenings per day) x (206 screens) x (90 days)
A day in the life of an engineer in the water department & the journey of water from its source to the millions of homes in the city of Mumbai
Showcasing the tireless efforts of one of the refuse collectors of Mumbai, through the eyes of his daughter
The work of a community health volunteer & promoting the infrastructure & facilities of Mumbai’s public hospitals
An appreciation of the humongous effort put in by thousands of workers, ensuring the city’s stormwater drains remain operational throughout the year
A film about the opportunities & support provided by the public schooling system of the municipality of Mumbai, as seen through the eyes of a young student
Public service announcement short-film demonstrating the cautionary practices needed for prevention of COVID-19, presented in a schoolteacher-student reversal setting