CAUSE-BASED DESIGN · SPRING 2024

TEAMMATES Macy Belton, Ella Goldsmith, Macy McClish, Max Pius, Craig Smith


The College of Visual Arts & Design celebrates its Communication Design Class of 2024 with “We DID That”, an exhibition spotlighting the amazing work these students have done throughout the program. Our team of designers put together the show from conceptualization, planning, installation, and finally completion. The project scope included branding, marketing, exhibition design, layout design, videography and editing, budgeting, and installation.

My contributions to the project included managing the budget, designing the exhibition layout, and developing the final presentation. I documented the entire process, producing video documentation and a promotional hype video.

Attracting over 350 attendees on reception day, the “We DID That” 2024 Senior Showcase was the College of Visual Arts & Design’s most attended exhibition.

Concept

Our concept centered on showcasing each student’s unique talents—whether in typography, illustration, or animation, etc. This diverse mix is brought to life through the show’s visual language, featuring a vibrant array of colors, textures, and shapes.

We conducted a survey among Communication Design seniors to determine the direction of the showcase, and "We DID That" received the majority vote. The survey, which measured interest on a scale of one to five, garnered responses from 46 students, with "We DID That" leading in popularity.

Branding & Display Wall

We quickly solidified the branding to lay a strong foundation while designing the main display wall and other assets. The branding remained adaptable throughout the project, allowing us to make adjustments as needed. The final display wall featured an interactive design with 3D elements, a signature wall, and a photo opportunity.

Project Display

To showcase 40 students' work within a limited 966 feet of horizontal wall space, we designed six branded project templates as well as a template for digital projects. Each student could choose the template that best highlighted their unique portfolio.

Marketing & Communications

The showcase was promoted over three weeks across multiple channels. Event info and shareable email invites were sent to students and professors, a "behind-the-scenes" clip was posted on Instagram to reach students, alumni, and the public, and flyers were displayed throughout the CVAD building.

Branded email graphics with concise information on what and how to send files to the design team were sent out to students and professors to inform them about photo and project calls.

Takeaways

To fully commemorate the event, tote bags, stickers, and a zine-style yearbook was designed for students, parents, professors, and visitors to walk away with. The yearbook featured a brief introduction to the show, a thank-you note to the professors, students and their portraits, and a signature page. The yearbook unfolds into a full poster allowing for students to have a display piece as well as memorabilia.

Awards

At the showcase, selected students across all classifications receive scholarship awards for their hard work in the program. The award is designed and branded to match the rest of the show.