Imagination Makers | Graphic Vocabulary

Event Branding

Third Year University Work

Design Brief

Assuming a fictional partnership with the Brand Council South Africa, this project required the conceptualisation, creation and branding of a fictional awards event celebrating an aspect of the creative industry. Celebration categories could include any event be that a fashion event, illustration event, graphic design, or any other category. The chosen event had to draw from an inspiring character or well-known persona. This persona was used as the basis for the creation of the style, mood and personality of the event. In addition to the partnership with Brand Council SA, the project also required the selection of a chosen sponsor whose brand identity and values aligned with those of the event.

Project Deliverables

1. Compilation of all process work

2. Vertical Narrative and Style Guide that shows:

- Landscape Billboard

- Goodie Bag

- Event Programme

- Promotional Gift

- 3 x Event Name Tags for Staff, Media, and Nominees

Design Strategy

For this project, I chose to create a fictional event for an awards event celebrating the most imaginative and creative fantastical illustration in children’s literature.

Despite the very many positive effects that imagination can have for an adult, it is so often viewed as something that is lesser, child-like, naïve, or unuseful. From the people who were developed, influenced and aided by picture books and early development of imagination, now comes the creation for those after them. This is a design awards event that celebrates the role these illustrators have on developing the world, and creates awareness for the importance and appreciation of formative illustration. It is imagination being shared from the old to the young.

The chosen sponsor for the event was Crayola, whose values of originality, expression and ability to nourish and develop imagination in children aligns with that of the event. The chosen persona for the event was Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter Book Series. Her whimsical nature and childlike-innocence were used to inspire the brand personality. In terms of visuals, an illustrative approach was taken to tie in the identity with the subject of the awards.

A Magical Persona: Luna Lovegood

A chosen persona was used as a basis for creating the identity of the event's brand. As the brand explores the fictional, whimsical, and imaginative, a character who embodies all these things was chosen. Luna Lovegood is a fictional character from the children’s fantasy series Harry Potter. She is best known for quirky, out-of-the box thinking and her large imagination.

Luna is a large advocate for the creative and tries to see the best in the world around her. She always tries to believe in the possibility of what could be. She is exceptionally kind, perceptive of the world, and loyal to those she cares about. Her dreaminess often gives off the impression of child-like whimsy and innocence, but at times she is also quite animated and bubbly.

Moodboard

Imagination Makers is an event celebrating imaginative and creative fantastical illustration in children’s literature, so as such, the main approach when creating the brand was to incorporate an illustrative style that showcased the medium that was being celebrated. During the brand’s conceptualisation phase of creation, inspiration for the brand’s persona was drawn from Luna Lovegood - a whimsical, imaginative, dreamy character from the Harry Potter series - whose character influenced the whimsical

nature of the colour scheme, fonts and dreamy fantasy illustrations. The overall goal of the brand is to capture the positive, whimsical, innocent and childlike nature of imagination, while still communicating a professional degree of finish.

Moodboarding the character's, and subsequently the brand's, persona helped develop the visual style and approach of the event's branding. Following the character moodboarding, a stylistic moodboard was also created to capture the whimsical illustrative approach of the event.

Creating the Magic

Brand Development

Multiple explorations of logos, both symbol and word based, as well as illustrative explorations and sketches were conducted throughout the brand development of the event. Rejected logo illustrations were further developed to extend the brand's visual language. These new digital illustrations were used throughout the various event components.

Logo development and illustrative explorations

A Magical Mark

The logo combines text with an illustrative style. The flowy shape of the paint brush line gives off a whimsical feel that captures the fun, positive and dreamy nature of the brand. The brush illustration ties the logo in with the subject of the awards and creates a fun appearance.

Sponsoring the Whimsical

The awards place a high emphasis on creativity and the imaginative. The event also acts as an exposure on the importance of recognising and developing imagination. Crayola ties in with the idea of idea generation as well as embodies the idea of celebrating and aiding children’s development. Both Crayola and the Imagination Maker's Event hold value for the need to express. The event is for adult designers and illustrators, but also celebrates the children they keep in mind when creating. Therefore, Crayola as a medium that possibly started illustrators on their journey as children and then also continues to inspire current readers of the illustration is an ideal sponsor.

Crayola and Brand Council South Africa are the sponsors for the brand and must be displayed in that order. Crayola’s bright colourful logo remains in its original colours to remain true to the sponsors identity which ties in with the event identity. The Brand Council Logo is given a colourful treatment to match the brightness of the events’ personality.

The Spellbook

Typographic Treatments and a Simplified Colour Palette

For Illustrations, various tints and shades of the above colour palette can be used, as long as they maintain the bright appearance.

Illuminating Illustration

The chalky illustration style, used throughout the event's imagery, transport the audience into the world of storybooks, magic, and wonder. Although created digitally, the distinctive hand touch adds personalisation to the event's look, which mimics the comfort of a loved childhood storybook.

The Story Becomes Real:

All Communication and Promotional Collateral

Outdoor Media

Landscape Billboard | Dimensions 3m x 6m

Promotional Gift

Tear open packet of ‘Magic Beans’ | Dimensions 11cm x 14cm

Shown below Front and Back of Packet

Goodie Bag

Dragon Egg Goodiebag | Dimensions 26cm tall x 17cm radius x 12cm top opening.

Material is hard, shiny cardboard to be long lasting and to give off a shiny effect of scales. A long handle allows attendees to sling the bag over their shoulder making for a handsfree experience of the event.