Silver Medal Winner - Interactive Media
Education Digital Marketing Awards 2015
Education Digital Marketing Awards 2015
For the past 4 years, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has opened its campus to host TouchTomorrow, a festival of science, technology, and robots. Partnering with NASA and WGBH, the festival features exhibits run by students, faculty, and sponsors, as well as appearances by NASA employees, astronauts, and occasionally Curious George. The NASA Sample Return Robot Challenge precedes the festival, bringing in teams from all over the world to compete for a $1.5 million prize. The 2015 festival was the greatest turn-out so far, with over 10,000 registered attendees.
This year, it was my turn to be the lead designer on the event. My goal this year was to take the pre-existing branding, which had been in place since the first festival, and give it a refresh. While previous years had mainly focused on the three primary colors, I wanted to focus mostly on our cyan and use the others as more accents. I wanted to focus more on using parts of the robot illustrations as opposed to the entire bots as we had in years past, specifically focusing on one I affectionately refer to as "Blinky" (you'll see why in a minute!)
Original robot illustrations by Pop Kitchen
Photography by Ben Bocko, Matthew J Burgos, and Britt Hafford
Invitation
Though a public and free event, invitations were sent to those on our mailing lists, VIP guests, and possible sponsors. Included here is a mock-up for a corporate sponsorship invitation with pin gifts that I just loved, even if it never came to fruition.
Advertisement
Ads were placed in local magazines, newspapers, and programs. Two billboards were purchased at opposite surrounding cities. An animated billboard of Blinky the Robot appeared on the WGBH billboard in Boston.
Billboard by Sami Lipkin
Ads were placed in local magazines, newspapers, and programs. Two billboards were purchased at opposite surrounding cities. An animated billboard of Blinky the Robot appeared on the WGBH billboard in Boston.
Billboard by Sami Lipkin
Social Media
Social media blasts were spread across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, on TouchTomorrow's own channels as well as the main WPI channels.
Social media blasts were spread across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, on TouchTomorrow's own channels as well as the main WPI channels.
Environment
Areas surrounding campus and on campus proper displayed NASA and TouchTomorrow branded street banners. Employees were stationed around the event holding "Have a Question? Ask Me!" signs. Rubber bracelets were handed out and maps were changed to reflect the different activities in each station. Signs featuring our robots lead guests in the apropriate direction, both inside and outside of the buildings.
Areas surrounding campus and on campus proper displayed NASA and TouchTomorrow branded street banners. Employees were stationed around the event holding "Have a Question? Ask Me!" signs. Rubber bracelets were handed out and maps were changed to reflect the different activities in each station. Signs featuring our robots lead guests in the apropriate direction, both inside and outside of the buildings.
Attire
Three shirts were created to differentiate staff members working at the event. Regular staff recieved the red t-shirts (some wore their blue t-shirts from 2014; these were so popular we actually ran out!), VIP staff (those on the planning board) recieved cyan polos, greeter staff recieved yellow t-shirts. The yellow t-shirts were revamped from the 2014 design.
Three shirts were created to differentiate staff members working at the event. Regular staff recieved the red t-shirts (some wore their blue t-shirts from 2014; these were so popular we actually ran out!), VIP staff (those on the planning board) recieved cyan polos, greeter staff recieved yellow t-shirts. The yellow t-shirts were revamped from the 2014 design.
