Project Description
This portfolio piece is not here specifically as an example of creative. I have it in here primarily as an example of my ability to tackle “agency-sized” marketing design challenges all by my lonesome.
Alumni Weekend is an annual marquee event at UCalgary, which serves to reach out to the alumni base and showcase great ideas and research going on all around campus. Kinda like an open house.
Here’s a brief timeline of how this project rolled through the department (a.k.a. me).
June 20: Creative kickoff meeting to learn strategic intent.
June 21 – July 3: We bounced around several ideas, and presented concepts.
July 8 – 23: I began photographing and photoshopping the 4 demographic scenes. I built each PSD file in a modular way (yay, smart objects!!), in order to ensure that we could update the copy and custom doodles on the various “to-do lists” quickly without sacrificing quality on the imagework. Yes, I did all the sketched doodles too.
July 24 – August 9: Approval on all base images and messaging was approved. There were multiple messages and multiple media buys (focused on digital, with some print signage at transit shelters and on-campus), I took the challenge and ran with it. In summary, I created and designed over 100 digital screen ad layouts, 16 faculty-specific social promos/web banners, 20 email headers, 6 large-format posters for print media, 6 animated transit platform digital ads, and 6 animated GIF web banner ads. I also designed and supplied the t-shirt design.
August 12 – 14: I designed the template for all on-campus signage and handed that project off to a production designer to prepare. I designed the map/schedule brochure.
August 16: All creative assets were reviewed and approved for media release.
I completed all of the above while I was working on all of my other design projects, including art directing and designing the cover and main features in the upcoming alumni magazine.
Despite the lack of internal/freelance resources to support me on this project, I handled it all and did NOT miss a single deadline. The sweat has evaporated and I am pleased with how I managed and streamlined the workflow for this major marketing initiative.
Weekend attendance exceeded initial projections.
The whole team was treated to a catered lunch and I received a couple emails thanking me for my work, plus a single hand-written note of thanks after the event was over, which you can read below:
