Small Business Development Center
A comprehensive event brand design for an annual pitch competition
AngelCon is an annual event that brings together innovators, investors, and industry leaders to celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship. For the 2022 edition, I had the privilege of crafting the visual identity and design elements that set the stage for this dynamic gathering. The challenge was to create a cohesive and compelling design that resonated with the event's core themes of innovation, collaboration, and growth.
Outcomes: Logo Design, Brand Identity, Marketing Materials, On-site Visuals, Flyers, Advertisements
Role: Graphic Designer and Marketing Manager
The Logo
I created a striking hexagonal emblem that represented the six teams competing in the event. The ribbon-like aspect of the design symbolizes the collaboration between the investors, startups, and the SBDC.
There were two sides to the marketing on this event — one was to appeal to the tech startups that would be applying to compete, and the other is to the potential audience to get them to attend.
The Collateral
Event Program: A comprehensive slide deck that outlined the schedule, speakers, and sessions. The layout was intuitive, with clear headings and ample white space to ensure easy navigation and capture the audience's attention.
Digital Assets: From social media graphics to email templates, the digital presence of AngelCon was cohesive and visually appealing, driving engagement and excitement for the event.
Website: A dedicated event website was created to provide attendees with all the information they needed, from registration details to speaker bios, enhancing the overall experience.
Print Materials: Eye-catching flyers and newspaper advertisements were created to spread the word about AngelCon and attract attendees.
Challenges
We faced a small setback as the documentation of the previous year's event lacked quality photos and videos for us to use in the current year. We needed to find a solution that not only elevated the brand for 2022 but also addressed the shortcomings of the previous year's media coverage.
The photographs we did have from the previous year were taken on audience's phone cameras, and while the venue's lighting looked amazing and fun in person, it didn't translate well with unprofessional cameras. I worked around this by opting for a darkened black and white filter on the photos to add consistency, hide some of the focus and lighting issues, and convey sophistication and seriousness, aligning with the high-stakes nature of the event.
The Brand Design
To balance the seriousness of the event with some excitement, bright teal was chosen as an accent color. The teal, associated with creativity, communication, and confidence, injected energy into the designs, making them visually engaging and dynamic.
There were two sides to the marketing on this event — one was to appeal to the tech startups that would be applying to compete, and the other is to the potential audience to get them to attend.
