This project won the “Branding/Large Format Innovation” Award for the 2019 Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) In-House Design Awards
Introduction
The 2018 Annual General Meeting at IBI Group was more than a standard shareholder gathering. Alongside the usual announcements, the marketing team transformed the event by pairing the AGM with the CEO’s presentation of a new firm-wide strategic plan and a technology product showcase hosted in the lobby of the Toronto headquarters.
The strategic plan focused on leveraging both existing and emerging technologies to grow IBI’s core business and future-proof the firm through new models, products and services.
Task
With technology positioned at the centre of IBI’s future, the event needed to reflect a forward-looking vision. Working with the Global Graphic Design Lead, I was tasked with branding the AGM to help publicize and reinforce the company’s new strategic direction.
We developed a series of large-scale environmental graphics to transform the headquarters lobby into a branded, future-focused space. I designed more than 50 concepts using elements from the firm’s newly updated visual identity, ensuring aesthetic and conceptual alignment with the strategic plan. I also collaborated closely with a third-party signage partner to finalize specifications, materials and installation.
Below are some of the mockups I created.
Ideation and Execution
Narrowing the concepts down to one or two final designs was challenging, but the choices were intentional. Because the event was hosted in Toronto and IBI operates in 60+ offices worldwide, we wanted a visual nod to the firm’s global presence. The dotted world map pattern achieved this, and was already familiar to employees and clients through its use in proposals and internal materials.
To capture the spirit of the event and the firm’s new strategic plan, I incorporated a photograph of a woman wearing a virtual reality headset — a reference to one of the most anticipated elements of the showcase: the VR booth. Her pose, hands on the headset as if looking through binoculars, symbolized IBI’s forward-looking vision.
To unify both visuals, I converted the photograph into a halftone graphic to mirror the dotted global map and positioned them together to feel as though she was viewing the world through a technological lens.
The result was visually striking in person, but more importantly it aligned seamlessly with IBI’s emerging brand strategy. The installation captured the theme of the event and offered visitors a large-scale expression of the firm’s pivot toward a smarter, technology-driven future.
Here is a video I helped produce that showcases the event and the graphics. I worked on all the graphics for the video, the editing and shot some of the footage.
With slight modifications, the graphic went on to become a staple element in the firm’s brand collateral. Although the environmental graphics were originally intended to remain in place for two weeks, the success of the event — followed shortly by another product showcase — led to their installation being extended for an additional year.
“The [event] was amazing today. It truly was. I’ve never seen this buzz within IBI”