GSU: SPRING CARNIVAL
Atlanta, GA
2024
As Project Lead, I led a team of 10 designers to develop and execute a comprehensive campaign strategy for Georgia State University’s annual Spring Carnival. I facilitated every stage of the design process, from concept to final deliverables, ensuring cohesive branding across all materials. Our campaign tripled attendance compared to the previous year, setting a new standard for Student Engagement and event turnout.
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The Spring Carnival lacked a cohesive visual identity, making it difficult for students to recognize and engage with the event. Attendance had been historically low. It was important that the campaign clearly communicated its status as an official Georgia State University event in order to establish a strong visual legacy for students, as the university intends for The Spring Carnival to become an annual tradition. Additionally, previous promotional efforts had minimal traction on social media, resulting in low visibility and little engagement on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
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To ensure our design decisions were grounded in real needs and context, I used the following approaches:
Historical Data & Attendance Trends
Analyzed past attendance numbers and promotional materials to understand what wasn’t working and where visibility gaps existed.Student Audience Insight
Researched how GSU students consume event-related content, including preferences for social platforms and engagement habits.Competitive Analysis
Examined visual and messaging strategies from other successful campus events to identify what could drive excitement and urgency.Collaborative Workshops
Led ideation sessions with the design team to align on key themes, visual direction, and campaign touch-points.
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My approach balanced strategic thinking with execution-focused design to elevate the Spring Carnival experience both visually and socially:
Cohesive Visual Identity
I developed a unified branding system that adhered to the Georgia State University toolkit while giving Spring Carnival its own vibrant personality, something students would recognize and share.Strategic Campaign Framework
Rather than a single poster or logo, I led the execution of a multi-phase campaign, from initial concept through final deliverables, ensuring consistent messaging across every touchpoint.Social Media & Retention Focus
Since past events saw minimal engagement on social media, I prioritized content that spotlighted student stories and experiences. This approach was designed to foster authentic connection and spread excitement organically on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.Tripled Attendance
The campaign strategy directly contributed to a threefold increase in event turnout compared to the previous year, a clear indicator that the design and engagement strategy resonated with the student audience.
It all begins with visual idenitiy. My focus for this project in terms of branding was to maintain compiance with the Georgia State University brand toolkit. Ensuring students both on and off campus were aware that this event was an offical Georgia State University program.
Retention.
Including this final phase in the 2024 Spring Carnival campaign strategy was essential to me. I had learned that in previous years, the event saw minimal student engagement on social media. To address this, I prioritized highlighting student stories and firsthand experiences, with a focus on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to drive authentic connection and participation.