Challenge

2020 and the Covid panedemic affected all industries and created a need for change in a short period of time. Many workers transitioned to working from home and in-person conferences shifted to virtual. This created an opportunity for viewership spanning a greater distance as distance learning and attendance became the new normal. The Annual Business Meeting and Leadership Conference was scheduled to be in Minneapolis in the fall of 2020 hosted by the Association for Facilities Engineering.

Strong design helps set the tone for a virtual event ensuring the participants that the event is professional and worth the investment. The ABMLC has proven in past years to not only be a resource for those in the facilities engineering industry but also an enjoyable experience. This personality came through with the theme for the event. A lifelong Prince fan, Excecutive Director & CEO, AC Powell felt the original setting for the event in Minneapolis meant one theme possibility – Purple Rain.

 Solution

Research for the project included a fantastic playlist and digging into the amazing work created for Purple Rain in the past. Gigawatt Group paid homage to the film selecting a personality font that captured the energy of the original movie poster. The revolutionary work of Bob Staake is referenced as a background graphic. It was also important to ensure the theme did not override the AFE brand. This was accomplished by expanding the industrial textures previous created by Gigawatt Group in the brand guidelines. Photography of wet payment with reflections of buildings fit within the AFE world and incorporating purple filters unified a look for the theme. The logo and accompanying graphics combined modern typography with personality achieved with a stylized script and psychedelic purple tones. 

Results

The branding and graphics for ABMLC 2020 set the tone for another sucessful event while also providing a breath of fresh air during a difficult year. Social media posts and graphics provided support to drum up registration and attendees. The overall logo also has the ability to grow with the conference as the years change and the theme continues to reflect the personality and comradery in the organization.