ThoughtMatter's managing partner, Jessie McGuire, was invited to design a poster as part of the NYCxDESIGN’s "An Ode to NYC" citywide poster exhibition. From NYCxDESIGN'S brief: The inspiration for the 2022 campaign comes from remarks made by Mayor Eric Adams’ at NYCxDESIGN’s recent press conference: “NYCxDESIGN resonates with what we must do in this future... We must design to not leave anyone behind. We have to design a more equitable future.” - Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City.

Jessie's primary goal was to create a poster that gets at the heart of NYC and urges viewers to fund our future, especially as it relates to children, schools, parks, healthcare, daycare. As a mother of two, a creative spirit and a managing partner of a NYC-based design studio, Jessie wanted the poster to speak to “New Yorkers”, those working with children, raising children, supporting children of NYC. Jessie worked with ThoughtMatter's design team to bring her brief to life visually—creating a bold, joyful tension addressing the need to fund a future for the children of NYC.

The poster was included in a digital and print collection beginning December 2022 with a limited quantity printed and placed in various street-level windows/entryways of select NYC retail spaces and showrooms to spread the Ode throughout the city. Jessie McGuire was also on a NYCxDESIGN panel to share her process for creating the poster with the ThoughtMatter team and her experience in the design industry.