Some legacies don't end. They become a reason for others to live.
Pete’s Pulse began as a deeply personal tribute following the gift of organ donation. What started as a way to honor one life evolved into a community initiative that combined branding, storytelling, merchandise, and public engagement to make conversations about organ donation more approachable—and inspire more people to register.
CAMPAIGN SNAPSHOT
ROLE
Visionary • Creative Director
SCOPE
Campaign Strategy • Brand Identity • Merchandise Design • Community Engagement • Event Marketing • Cause Awareness
TIMELINE
2025-2026
KEY OUTCOMES
MY ROLE (DETAILS)
I conceived, built, and led every aspect of Pete’s Pulse—from developing the brand identity and campaign messaging to designing the merchandise, managing production, coordinating events, building community partnerships, and personally engaging the public through event outreach. Every decision, conversation, and creative element was guided by a single purpose: honoring Pete’s legacy by encouraging more people to consider the gift of organ donation.
THE STORY
A gift of life became a legacy of action.
Pete’s Pulse did not begin as a marketing campaign. It began with gratitude.
Pete received a donor heart in his late thirties and lived another thirteen and a half years because one family said yes. Those years gave him more time to create, love, build, and touch countless lives. After his passing in 2023, his own decision to donate cornea, bone, and tissue improved the lives of more than seventy people. Pete’s Pulse grew from that extraordinary circle of generosity: one donor gave Pete more life, and Pete’s final gifts carried that life forward.
Rather than asking people to focus on loss, the campaign invited them to think about legacy, hope, and the remarkable impact a single decision can have on countless lives.
THE CHALLENGE
How do you invite people into a conversation they naturally avoid?
Organ donation has the power to save lives, yet many people postpone registering because the conversation feels uncomfortable, deeply personal, or simply easy to avoid. Traditional awareness campaigns often rely on statistics, urgency, or loss—messages that people quickly tune out or choose not to engage with.
Pete’s Pulse set out to change that. The challenge wasn’t simply to increase awareness. It was to create an experience that felt welcoming, sparked genuine conversation, and inspired people to consider organ donation through hope, connection, and the promise of leaving a lasting legacy.
THE STRATEGY
Every interaction was intentionally designed to move people from awareness to action.
Rather than relying on a single message, Pete’s Pulse combined branding, storytelling, apparel, community engagement, and personal conversation into one cohesive campaign. Each element served a distinct purpose while reinforcing the same mission: making organ donation approachable and inspiring more people to register.
THE INSIGHT
People don't avoid organ donation because they don't care. They avoid conversations that make them uncomfortable.
The breakthrough came from reframing the conversation.
Instead of asking people to think about death, Pete’s Pulse invited them to think about life, love, and the legacy one person can leave behind. Humor, approachable design, and wearable conversation starters transformed a deeply personal topic into one people were willing—even excited—to discuss.
Rather than creating another awareness campaign with mortality statistics, the strategy centered on creating moments of connection. Every shirt, every conversation, and every interaction was designed to replace hesitation with curiosity and make one meaningful decision feel both personal and attainable.
Brand
Created an identity people wanted to wear, share, and remember—transforming a cause into something approachable and human.
Conversation
Replaced difficult discussions with moments of curiosity, allowing people to engage with organ donation naturally instead of avoiding it.
Experience
Designed every touchpoint—from merchandise and displays to events and storytelling—to create meaningful, memorable interactions.
Action
Turned awareness into participation by encouraging conversations, registrations, community involvement, and lasting advocacy.
THE EXECUTION
The campaign came to life wherever people gathered.
Pete’s Pulse moved beyond messaging and into the community. Through festivals, events, merchandise and one-on-one conversations, the campaign created opportunities for people to engage with organ donation in an approachable, personal way.
THE LEGACY
Emphasizing the gift of organ donation through one love story.
Pete’s Pulse was created as a one-year legacy campaign, but its purpose was never simply to remember Pete. It was to use our story to open conversations about organ donation—and to encourage people to make a decision that could someday give someone else more time.
Pete’s Pulse was created and led by Keryl Oliver in memory of Peter von Uchtrup.
WHAT THIS INITIATIVE REINFORCED
Every meaningful initiative begins with an inspired moment. Its impact depends on the many thoughtful decisions that bring it to life.
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