Brand Events and Activations

Corporate
Branding
Strategy
Events

From 2018 to 2022, I was a part of the Convention Team at Signal.

I started as a PowerPoint slide pusher. By the time I left, I directed every minute and design every pixel of content and creative for the entire three-day affair.

Each year, our merry band of four friends produced a million-dollar Convention that never failed to knock the socks clean off our guests.



In 2020 I led development of a Convention subbrand that was consistent and recognizable, but flexible so each year we could take design inspiration from our venue and theme.

These identities included a comprehensive and scalable system of patterns, motifs, and more (like animal mascots), giving the team plenty of range for all the applications to consider for events like this.



The most visible part of this role was crafting all the speeches for the CEO, and designing slides to support that content. This amounted to 5+ hours of stage time and 400+ slides per year, just for the CEO’s mainstage time.

To be successful, I had to blend:

① a complete understanding of our company’s biggest goals and initiatives
② talent for distilling overwhelming amounts of information down to a clear and logical thread
③ understanding of the psychology of teaching and learning and
④ an impeccable eye for brand and design.

I also built out subbrands for special events during each year’s convention, often finding inspiration in local landscapes and lore.

Convention 2022: Brand Knew



Convention 2021: Desire


Convention 2020: Perspire
NOTE — I WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR NAMING THIS EVENT


All years: Award Slides Reel

Some years, I even led training and breakout sessions, leaning on my teaching background. Thankfully, public speaking comes naturally to me. I always enjoy working with a classroom full of learners.

Instead of a printed event program, each year I produced a hardbound “Convention Journal.” It’s a combination of agenda, notebook, brand handbook, and event keepsake.



I also produced all the signage, wayfinding, handouts, name badges, programs, awards, merchandise, and more.

If there were words to be written or pixels to be pushed, I did it.



It’s hard to describe the effect of these events on our guests. Our team went beyond simply planning content and a few box lunches.

We obsessed about the attendee experience at literally every touchpoint, from showstopping fireworks displays to custom branded keycard folios at check-in. These decisions uplifted and excited attendees, inspiring them to lock in for another year of success.


All the work you see here took place in addition to my “regular” duties in marketing and brand. After I parted ways with Signal in 2022, I learned that my role had to be filled by several people and an agency.