As part of the student run Showcase Series sponsored by Belmont University each year, the 2013 Christian Showcase needed to be different
Every year, students produce and perform in a genre driven showcase. They put on a professional show featuring professional level talent; the result is impressive and the learning experience for students, unparalleled. However, after approaching the showcase similarly year after year, the event was tired. Students had lost interest, and the class requirement that had driven the attendance numbers in the past was no longer part of the curriculum.
The student producer asked me to art direct the show and help develop and implement a marketing plan for the event. This was a big step past the posters and Facebook cover photo that was the norm for the showcase series. When we discussed her vision for the project, she made it clear that she wanted to do something that would make anyone—regardless of their involvement on campus or faith—feel welcome and like they were a part of a larger movement.
The concept of “Shine Your Light” was designed to allow the readers to bring their own meaning to the event. For some people, their “light” was a desire to perform, and for others it was tied to faith or family. All of the marketing materials were created to be interactive, and invited students to be a part of the process. I didn’t want to just put on another showcase; I wanted to invite our community to make the showcase their own.
I did two sets of posters and social media, starting with a dark “turned off” light bulb, that invited students to "turn on the light" by scanning a QR code that linked to the promo video for the event. After a few days, the dark posters were replaced with a second poster featuring an illuminated light bulb that captured the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the event. I wanted to create some tension and release--to get people to notice that there was something different going on.
I recognized that the event would only be successful if we had students "buy in" to the message early on. It started with a small handheld chalkboard painted with the sentence “My Light Shines Brightest When __________.” The team of students that I worked with asked students if they wanted to fill in their response and have their picture in the program. Many of the students we photographed changed their profile picture on their social media pages to the photo taken with the chalkboard.
As a final invitation, I created an oversized chalkboard and set it up in a central part of campus and invited students to share how they felt they felt they best shared their light. There was an overwhelming response, with an estimated 700 students adding their response or stopping to take a picture. The chalkboard was used as a set piece during the showcase the next day.
As a final invitation, I created an oversized chalkboard and set it up in a central part of campus and invited students to share how they felt they felt they best shared their light. There was an overwhelming response, with an estimated 700 students adding their response or stopping to take a picture. The chalkboard was used as a set piece during the showcase the next day.
Time Lapse video of students writing on the chalkboard.
This project was a great opportunity to brand an event and execute a successful campaign. The branding was incorporated in all of the on screen elements during the show, and we were able to track student’s response to the event on social media using the hash tag #shineyourlight. The tagline "Shine Your Light" became the core mission driving the event--and for the first time--the showcase was not just about a performance, but students coming together to share their gifts and talents to make the univeristy--and the city of Nashville--a brighter place.
Through all of the efforts the event drew between 1,100 and 1,500 attendees.
Through all of the efforts the event drew between 1,100 and 1,500 attendees.
