The Design Camp committee expressed to us that designers eagerly anticipate the annual poster/invite. This element has been cut from many programs for budget reasons, so we wanted to make sure it had as much impact as possible. In addition to the poster, we made sure the other elements incorporated the same fun tone and graphics--so every element of the event felt connected, from t-shirts and lanyards, to notebooks and pencils.
Putting an “Up North” spin on AIGA’s “Connections” strategy for Design Camp 2013 (held in Minnesota’s north woods), FAME sparked to the idea of campfire paired with the call to “Gather ‘Round.” The embodiment of togetherness, it set the scene for designer bonding and info-sharing. By reinforcing the iconic northern Minnesota lodge venue, we distinguished this more intimate regional event from the larger, national AIGA conference held the following week–also in Minneapolis.
The “connections” theme extended to linking the tangible with all things digital. On the poster invite, the campfire came to life in a tactile way, with fire-kissed orange and crispy metallic pantones over natural, speckled paper. And thanks to augmented reality, toasting digital marshmallows (via digital campfire) became a form of artistic expression—engaging potential attendees and increasing event response. The t-shirt flame glowed in the dark. And the use of color, type and a graphic pattern connected additional campaign elements, from lanyards and matchbooks, to custom patch and graphic buttons.
The event sold out despite the national AIGA conference being held at a similar time and location. They also attracted more out-of-state attendees than previous years. There was a significant increase in AIGA Facebook and Twitter followers--and rave reviews all around for the glow-in-the-dark marshmallow t-shirt.
