Collective '23

This was a collaborative project that sought to create a flexible and impactful identity for the 2023 Graduate Exhibition of the Visual Communication Design programme at IADT.

Entitled ‘Collective ‘23,’ this was not only a description of our final showcase of work, but a nod to the four years of friendship which preceded it and made it possible. An uplifting and supportive studio culture laid the foundation for our success from first to fourth year, as we came to see that the connections you make are just as important as any project deliverable. We learnt early on not to see each other as competitors, but as collaborators, each carving out a space for ourselves in a loud and colourful group of people.

The identity system needed to be easily implemented across the physical exhibition space and beyond, from printed ephemera and way-finding to social media. We achieved this through a simple photographic approach that captured both our varied personalities at an individual level and the dynamic nature of our class at a broader scale. This energy was also conveyed through the typography, where we utilised an eclectic combination of typefaces to create the logotype. We used copywriting to further develop this playful tone of voice by creating a poster series which outlined our shared creative process: to consider, collaborate, conceptualise, communicate and co-ordinate.

Our collective manifesto, which was hung as a poster in the exhibition space and printed in the brochure was a key element of the brand identity. This manifesto outlined our core beliefs about friendship within design practice and the important role that it has played in our design education. 

Most importantly, this identity represented our guiding principle as a collective of visual communicators, image makers, problem solvers and creative thinkers; to always celebrate what makes us unique, knowing that being a part of something bigger is what makes design worthwhile.