Celebration of Light
⤳ visual identity, digital design, print design, ux/ui
Experience the wonder
A rebrand of the Honda Celebration of Light capturing the experience of the fireworks, the energy and the memories that take place during the festival.
Timeframe 4 months
Tools Adobe Illustrator, Adobe XD, Adobe InDesign
Role Research, Strategy, Visual Identity, Print Design, UX/UI Design
Background
The Celebration of Light festival is held in every summer in Vancouver, Canada at English Bay around the end of July and beginning of August. During three nights firework shows are being performed by three teams hailing from different countries in a competition to have the most spectacular display of fireworks and music, attracting visitors of all ages and all localities.
How might we refresh the visual identity of the Honda Celebration of Light?
Objectives
My design objectives are to have a consistent identity which emphasizes the friendly and excitement filled event, it should appeal and captivate many demographics. The content must also be bilingual in Canada's languages of English and French.
Design system application
For the festival setting the identity would be applied to promotional posters, the website on both desktops and mobile plus a program booklet handed out during the event.
Initial research
In order to decide on the direction of the festival repositioning and visual identity, I researched the festival and identified the points that would inform the design process. I wanted to grasp the intentions of the festival, distilling it into keywords and to have an idea of the target audience.
International and ageless appeal
The festival was hoping to target everyone from locals to visitors in Vancouver varying in age from children to the elderly.
Intention
To capture the experience of the fireworks, the crowd and the memories that take place during the festival.
Key words
Energy, vivid and wonder.
Mood boards
Energy, vivid & wonder
Once my key words were established, I created three mood boards from the words energy, vivid and wonder. I focused less on the overall colours and imagery, and more on the images expressing the words and relating to the festival itself.
Poster
Ideation & digitalization
The concepts were based on three different approaches: symbolic, typographic and abstract.
- The symbolic approach was to put an emphasis on vivacity, using the “overwhelm the eye” visual strategy in repetition of objects of importance to the festival and bubbly illustrations.
- The typographic focused approach was using text as image with reflections of text to become the fireworks and reflections in the English Bay.
- The abstract approach was to emphasis the energy of the festival capturing the explosion of fireworks in simple shapes.
Final poster
Typographic & abstract approach
The typographic focused approach was using text as image with reflections of text to become the fireworks and reflections in the English Bay.
Logo & information lockup
The logo and text lockup and dates placed in the center of the poster along with a circle closing the information up in a loop, leading the the viewer’s eyes remaining in the middle.
Movement of fireworks
The colourful abstract fireworks display show the movement of being shot up along with the ephemerality of moment. The small hairline sparks of the fireworks add to the pathways possible for the fireworks and add more interest when the poster is printed to a larger size.
Wesite for mobile and desktop
Initial digital concepts
Taking the poster’s theme and concept to web & mobile, I found was a little awkward as the poster consisted solely of typography and graphics while the website would need to include photographs. When looking at the festival’s website, something that I wanted to improve was the navigation feature. The navigation only displays about us and partners, when there is a lot more information available to people interested in the festival. In regards to the colour scheme and typography I kept it within the elements already established in the poster, with Proxima Nova and the 6 colours.
Final website
Bilingual English & French
The ability to change between each language without having to return to the splash page
Added categories in menu
Addition of section for press, breakdown of activities and the ability to see all categories at once
Pop-out menu
Navigation reflecting the fun of the festival and fun of exploding fireworks. This would open when clicking the logo, the circle expanding over the screen.
Poster elements & additions
Keeping elements from the poster such as colour scheme and typography for unity. The addition of Avenir for larger bodies of text, colours representing a certain element of the festival (i.e orange for fireworks, blue for entertainment) and the introduction to duotone plus full colour imagery.
Festival program
Initial concept ideation
When brainstorming I first considered the in situ context of the program, the program must inform, provide context and be carried along with the festival guests for the duration of their time at the Festival of Light.
Small sized program for the festival attendees to easily grasp the booklet and fit into pockets or bags with ease
- Colour coordinated sections following the website for easily identifiable categories
- Prioritization of a festival layout map for visitors
Final festival program
Design system elements
Keeping elements from the poster and website, fireworks and details in corresponding section colours to strengthen the categorization and to tie it in with the visual identity of the Celebration of Light.
Energetic layout
Usage of bright highlight colours contrast with black and white, repeated slashes, overlapping of imagery and text, plus asymmetrical alignment of text to create energy and movement.
Customized and memorable
Binding the program to increase the unique memorability
Reflection
Working on the refresh of the Celebration of Light was interesting in applying a visual identity through multiple mediums while also working in two languages. After creating the promotional poster, the website and the program booklet based on the identity of the festival, I felt that I had drifted a bit from my original ideas and the key words, I would have liked to further emphasize the wonder of the festival. I'd have also liked to explore ideas I had for the program could have also been added such as using transparencies and adding layered paper through the booklet plus interaction concepts for the website.