How-To Guides
We took The Home Depot's iconic How-To Guides and advanced them from a series of step-by-step images into a series of aspirational, yet attainable guides. The content strategy also broadened to reflect the cultural spectrum of our audience, intentionally featuring underrepresented traditions within The Home Depot’s retail landscape — including Hanukkah, Día de los Muertos and the Black gardener trend — ensuring our storytelling honored the diverse ways people create meaning at home. While editorial in tone, each guide was strategically grounded in commerce — built around Home Depot–available live goods and primarily in-stock materials, intentionally converting inspiration into in-store revenue.
I saw an opportunity to shift the role of How-To from instructional manual to source of inspiration.
Strategy Case Study: Dia de los Muertos
Market research showed that The Home Depot has a very strong, yet underrepresented Hispanic market, especially in the Southwest United States. We decided to showcase the beautful holiday of Dia de los Muertos, a joyful, living tradition celebrating loved ones who have passed. It embodies the idea that people aren't truly gone as long as they're remembered. We honored this holiday by sharing simple, yet lovely aspirational ways any DIY'er could integrate the holiday into their home using live goods available at The Home Depot.
Execution
By introducing editorial lighting, intentional styling, and narrative-driven vignettes, we transformed step-by-step guides into aspirational visual stories. Gardening became about cultivating atmosphere. Tiling became about pride of craftsmanship. Seasonal decorating became about ritual — expanded to reflect the diverse cultural rhythms that define home.
How-To Make a Live Marigold Wreath
Result
We reframed the How-To guides from task completion to personal expression — driving a 48% increase in online impressions
Use
Online and social
