It’s 2019. Inclusion is the word on everyone’s lips while
design feels more exclusive than ever.
design feels more exclusive than ever.
How do you remind people
that design is for everyone?
that design is for everyone?
Design has a reputation for being understood only by the privileged few. And sure, as a design business we can sometimes be part of the problem. But this year’s Sydney Design Festival, an annual event curated by the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS), set out to challenge this stereotype with the theme of accessing design.
Rather than preaching to the inner city set that goes every year, the festival aimed to broaden the definition of design by looking at issues of geography, race, gender and socioeconomics. Our job was to help the festival appeal to a broad cross section of Sydneysiders – not just designers.
The campaign identity set out to show there’s no ‘right way’ to define design. MAAS has an incredible collection of objects – from toys to technology, furniture to fashion. The logo evolves to communicate the breadth of the collection, who it’s for, and the way it makes people feel. With endless iterations, the campaign identity shows that design is many different things, and relevant to many different people.
Great design can be found in many objects we use every day, so the campaign appeared on everything from t-shirts to tote bags. The cumulative effect is a campaign that’s inclusive, a little irreverent, and positions design as something that can be experienced and enjoyed by absolutely everyone.
The evolving logo enabled the creation of mini festivals within the festival, designed to connect with specific audiences. For example, the Sydney After Dark Festival collated the evening events into a simple schedule for busy workers, while the Sydney Ankle Biter Festival promoted child-friendly events to families in the outer suburbs.
Thanks to Artist Mitch Viney for contributing 3D works.
