Brand illustration for events
Some thoughts about how brand illustration can help events.
Brand illustration is a big topic. there are so many ways to go about it from a soft launch of trying out a few illustrations here and there to planning the whole experience from start to finish in one hit.
Either way, it stands that brand illustration is a tool to strengthen your presence, make your audience more aware of not just who you are but what you stand for, and perhaps most importantly, find a connection to those potential visitors who come across your posts and posters in social media or real life.
Setting the Mood with Event Illustrations
In the many jobs I’ve had over the years, event marketing is one that I had to do in the past. And anyone who has been involved with events knows that it’s a tough game to get noticed.
Using brand illustrations for hyping up events can really build excitement and bring in a little bit of human fun. For example the social media post below advertising the Fortress Festival has a fun, retro, and cartoon-like feel. It combines bold, bright colors with playful, comic book-style typography and quirky illustrations. It gives off an energetic, festival atmosphere that feels inviting and dynamic. There are some otherworldly elements, such as the UFO and a dragon that add a whimsical feel to the poster and suggest that the festival aims to be creative, eclectic, and open to diverse experiences.
View this post on Instagram
Compare this with the illustration below, which has a historical and activist vibe. The muted, earthy tones (browns, beiges, and soft reds) combined with the imagery of a crowd holding protest signs suggest a setting deeply rooted in social movements and community protests. There is a sombre but determined mood that emphasises collective action and solidarity.
View this post on Instagram
Both illustrations advertise an event in appropriate ways but emanate very different vibes. And what’s great about illustration compared to photography is that it can be appropriated for different marketing elements: posters, social posts, flyers, which is why we call this type of illustration brand illustration.
The main role of cohesive brand illustrations is to communicate the event’s theme and tone, which both examles do successfully in their own right.
On-Site Experiences
Beyond marketing, illustration can also be used in event spaces. I remember seeing a life-sized bus in a museum a few years ago that had illustrations projected into its windows. It was a historic setting where the passengers were reading the news and if you clicked a button next to them, they started talking and commenting talking about what they’ve just read in the paper. This is a really great use of illustration because it is used for a topic where photographs would struggle to make the experience as intimate and memorable.
Digital Integration for Hybrid and Virtual Events
Branded illustrations can be perfect for digital spaces too, for virtual events. The example here was created in the lockdown where the brand illustrations for uncomfortable Oxford were used in an online digital tour of the city. As all the ‘walking’ took place virtually, it was the brand illustrations that created the link to the tours of the organisation.
Creating Lasting Memories
Personalised brand illustrations such as the above examples are a soft and fun way to give attendees a memorable takeaway.
The examples and use cases above have hopefully helped you understand how brand illustration can create an engaging, cohesive, and memorable event experience.
If you are an event planner or engagement officer and found this article helpful, feel free to get in touch your custom illustration requirements and ideas for your next event and I will help you stand out from the competition.
If you are an event planner or engagement officer and found this article helpful, feel free to get in touch your custom illustration requirements and ideas for your next event and I will help you stand out from the competition.