What Limitations? Event Branding

Event:

Creativity Explored x Herman Miller Marketplace

Brief:

Design the branding for a one-night collaborative art event that showcases artwork made by Creativity Explored; a San Francisco-based art studio that supports artists with developmental disabilities. With the generosity of several sponsors, artists at Creativity Explored were able to use classic Eames furniture, Maharam fabrics, and Herman Miller accessories as blank canvases to create art. These collaborative pieces, as well as original pieces by Creativity Explored artists, would be showcased at a one-night creative marketplace with all of the sales of the pieces going back to the art studio and the artists.

It was my task to brand the event as well as create an informational pocket guide that was given to each guest before the event. Here is the final result.

01. The Pocket Guide

The final fold order of the folding pocket guide.

Inside and outside respectably, of the pocket guide.

Above: Outside and inside raw graphics.

But How Did I Get Here?

I started talking with the collaborators on this project about doing a print piece that would help give the event context. As this is the first annual event in a series, the more information I could provide to each guest would help give the event more clarity. The audience of this event spanned a wide spectrum. There would be guests that would be intimately familiar with the purpose of the event as well as guests that would show up with no knowledge of Creativity Explored, its gallery, and its cause. With that in mind, I designed the guide so that one could take it away from this event and have all the information needed to look more into Creativity Explored.

I started gathering research ideas to explore what would be possible with my capability, time, and resources for a project like this. As I was developing ideas for a print piece that would include enough information, I came up with a folding design that would fit all of the information needed for the event while still being portable. These were my first-draft mock-ups below.

Above: First draft of the pocket guide.

After doing the first round of drafts, I wanted to add something extra in the guide that would make it fun to interact with. After some thought, I came to the idea of including a piece of art from Creativity Explored with each guide. The guest flipping through the guide would unfold it and when they got to the end, a piece of art would be included as a present for coming to the marketplace event. Something fun and creative that would catch a person's eye.

Above: Second draft of the foldable guide made larger to scale and to gauge copy placement, style and fold order.

After presenting my rough drafts and explaining my direction for adding a piece of artwork in the guide, Creativity Explored was thrilled. I discussed making the piece of included artwork unique to each guide. This would make each guide that much more exciting to open to see what was inside as well as add a talking point between guests at the event. It was another avenue of exposure to highlight artwork by the Creativity Explored artists, which was the ultimate purpose. This would be the cherry on the top of the "print-guide" sundae!

Above: A sample of the included artwork, digitally printed by Creativity Explored on cold-pressed paper ready to go into the guide.

And the final guide below complete with its own unique piece of artwork.

02. Graphic Design

Designing an aesthetic that would most fit Creativity Explored and the hosts Herman Miller, was fun to explore and tinker with. The design for the visuals came rather fast because of the rich graphical history of Herman Miller.

For that subtle nod to Herman Miller, I incorporated a bright red, a classic Eames font, as well as bold shapes that hinted at Herman Miller's striking brand style. Below are the final renditions of the graphics that included original photography from Creativity Explored for the email blasts, posters, guides, and other collateral.