5 days-long event for Milan Design Week 2018
3 months of preparation
+10k visitors
Project Language
English
My role
I played a pivotal role in designing the communication campaign and establishing the graphic identity. I also managed the project's progression, ensuring the integration and coherence of ideas from various teams and overseeing communication between Vans staff and our team.
Context
Vans, a brand renowned for its youthful, authentic, and individualistic style, partnered with the Politecnico di Milano to create an event for Milan Design Week 2018. The objective was to design an immersive experience that embodied Vans' "Off the Wall" ethos, showcasing their values through innovative and interactive elements.
The collaboration started with a workshop where Politecnico’s design students, divided into different groups, created and presented ideas for the event/installation.
My team and I created and showcased our project, “Feel Like Vans,” which was selected for the official event, both in terms of experiences and communication strategy.
After the workshop, students from the communication design field, including myself, were tasked with designing the brand identity for the event, which comprised the physical and digital communication campaign and in-event material.
Goal
To design an inspiring event brand identity that conveys Vans’ brand values while adding novelty and freshness, and to create an engaging communication campaign to make it stand out among the events of Milan Design Week 2018.
Process
- Conceptualized three of the event experiences (Balance, Vertigo, Speed) and a communication strategy during the workshop.
- Developed a digital strategy to promote the event through Vans' channels and Milan Design Week platforms.
- Created a communication campaign centered on three skate-inspired symbols, linked to skate legends.
- Designed printed materials, such as posters, flyers, signage for the event space, and stickers for a guerrilla marketing campaign.
Once we elaborated on the ideas that emerged during the workshop, we started defining the communication system, both online and offline, to promote the event. The digital strategy, articulated on different platforms, focused on the two weeks before the exhibition opening and included a teaser social campaign and more informative posts about the event.
Outcome
The event space was divided into distinct areas, each themed around sensations experienced by skaters: Balance, Vertigo, and Speed. These immersive zones were complemented by a robust communication campaign that extended into the event itself through strategic signage and thematic visuals. We created three symbols inspired by skateboarding, representing each sensation and linked to iconic skate legends: Tony Alva for balance, Steve Caballero for vertigo, and Christian Hosoi for speed. These symbols became central elements in all campaign materials, including posters, flyers, and guerrilla marketing efforts throughout Milan.
Our digital strategy involved promoting the event through Vans' official channels and key Milan Design Week platforms, such as Fuorisalone.it, which helped build anticipation and engagement. Additionally, we used Vans stores in Milan as focal points for our physical campaign, distributing event materials and leveraging brand ambassadors to enhance the reach. Unbranded stickers were spread around the city using guerrilla marketing strategies, generating curiosity and buzz ahead of the event.
Result
The collaboration with the Vans EMEA Team allowed for significant creative autonomy, leading to a successful event. The project demonstrated the power of immersive experiences and innovative communication strategies in promoting brand values and connecting with the audience. Our efforts enhanced brand engagement and showcased Vans' commitment to creativity and youth culture. The event received enthusiastic feedback and was attended by more than 10k visitors who were successfully engaged in the experiences offered.
Skills: Communication Campaign Design, Graphic Design, Exhibition Design
Team: Leonardo Codamo, Francesca Dell'Orto, Andrea Folini, Davide Formenti, Stefano Maffoni, Carlo Ottaviani, Valentina Pagano, Eleonora Rossetti, Marco Valli
