San Diego Comicon Event Branding
The Challenge
To develop and revitalize event branding for San Diego Comic Con. Branding should reflect the wide variety of media and interests that make up the event. The design should be fun, clear and eye catching.
About SDCC
Originally a comic, sci-fi, and fantasy expo, the convention has since expanded to include a larger range of pop culture and entertainment elements across virtually all genres, including horror, Western animation, anime, manga, toys, collectible card games, video games, webcomics, and fantasy novels. Every year Since 2010, the 130,000 attendance capacity has been met, making it the largest fan event in the world.
Style Exploration
There were two main approaches I considered: classic comic imagery and a more modern isometric design. But despite being called a "comic con" there are so many different art forms represented at the event and I wanted to underline that with my design.
Isometric Style Board
Classic Comic Style Board
Sketching
I tried several variations of both styles but my peer reviewers responded more strongly to the isometric designs. I moved forward in that direction, inspired by the way conventions create a "3D" space for fan communities to come together that normally exist online.
Digital Drafts
I experimented with saturated comic-like colors and creating small graphic elements inspired by the visual language of comics.
The Final Result
I used a more saturated version of the existing color palette to keep brand continuity. I built out five distinct graphic elements, each representing a major medium represented at SDCC.
Reflection
I have attended SDCC many years in a row and each time it feels like stepping into a different world. One that is brighter and more joyful. I feel that I created a design that inspires those same feelings. I plan on expanding on this projects with an app for attendees to plan their event schedules and connect with other con-goers.