Guru Studio at Kidscreen 2023
Every year Guru Studio depends on several trade shows to sell IP and make partnerships - one of those being Kidscreen, held in February each year in Florida. In 2023 Guru Studio obtained the premium Michelangelo Suite to use during this years show. Having this suite available would enable Guru to hold meetings in an area separate from the rest of the show, and therefore have maximum visibility in IP presentation for the room.
However, the tricky part of this was that Guru could not alter the room in any way, and would not be able to hang or affix anything to the walls. And so my task, was to produce a suite's worth of strong branded material that would promote the shows and studio, as well as provide a strong visual experience for those meeting in the suite.
In the end, I created and finalized a total five bold coffee cup designs, six eight-foot IP standee banners, two eight-foot feature standee banners and two additional Guru Studio website-branded banners.
However, the tricky part of this was that Guru could not alter the room in any way, and would not be able to hang or affix anything to the walls. And so my task, was to produce a suite's worth of strong branded material that would promote the shows and studio, as well as provide a strong visual experience for those meeting in the suite.
In the end, I created and finalized a total five bold coffee cup designs, six eight-foot IP standee banners, two eight-foot feature standee banners and two additional Guru Studio website-branded banners.
The focus of each banner was on the art of the IP. All banners had to be tied together without the Guru Studio branding overtaking the art.
The Studio Standees
Previously designed, these banners were used as the perfect intro to the studio. Among several designs what won out was this take - one banner for production work, one banner for original IP. Both held together with Guru colours and the slanted line colour block approach.
The Feature Standees
As an extra marketing initiative we really wanted to sell the studio's recent major achievements. PAW Patrol, the Studio's biggest production and True and the Rainbow Kingdom, the biggest original IP, both were to be celebrated.
The original idea was to include these featured call-outs on the fabric wall or elsewhere, but I provided a solution in the form of two new standees to match the IP banners, and to keep the whole space clean and compartmentalized. As well, having separate banners for the two achievements really highlighted each brand and achievement.
The original idea was to include these featured call-outs on the fabric wall or elsewhere, but I provided a solution in the form of two new standees to match the IP banners, and to keep the whole space clean and compartmentalized. As well, having separate banners for the two achievements really highlighted each brand and achievement.
The Cups
Along with the banners, Guru was supplying both a suite coffee station and cups for a coffee/tea station used by the entire trade-show. This coffee station initiative has been a long running Guru marketing initiative. This year it was decided we would be focusing on the studio's newest original IP, Big Blue.
Early concept-making explored a variety of takes on the concept. In the end we went with a bold character-focused idea and played around with legibility.
The Result
Through the studio standees, original IP standees, feature banners and branded coffee cups, Guru Studio was able to present a strong, vibrant and dependable brand and increase awareness at Kidscreen more than any other before.
