The Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair is establishing itself as one of the UK’s leading print fairs, and the only one concentrating on contemporary, living artists. Each year its list of contributors grows and the fair has become a great way to invest in the creativity of up-and-coming print-makers, or find a Grayson Perry, Margaret Calvert or Tracy Emin at a reasonable cost.
A curated exhibition of hand-picked emerging talent and world-renowned names join with specialist galleries and studios. And there’s a packed accompanying programme of talks, tours, workshops, activities and events within the historic Royal Woolwich Arsenal location.
The Fair already had a logo, brand typeface and black & white colour palette, but otherwise relied on the prints themselves as brand imagery. While these are beautiful and varied, one potential visitor might love the advertised print, while another might not. The Fair needed a campaign idea that worked independently of the style of print, and which provided a creative hook to attract their primary audience – those in their 30s and 40s looking for unique art for their homes. It was critical that the idea could work well across all media, from online advertising, to wayfinding, to t-shirts.
Our challenge? To advertise the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair as the only contemporary fair that sells affordable prints for modern tastes. The idea began with the thought that all blank walls are an opportunity for art – and if rooms had a say, what art would they suggest? For example, the ideal picture for a study would be different to that for a bathroom or bedroom, and so on.
We created an integrated campaign that combines mixed messaging, humour and eclectic interior design to mirror the fact that most art is bought with a domestic ‘space’ in mind.
The idea also lends itself well to ambient and outdoor spaces, as shown above. In addition to the advertising campaign we’ve also designed a social media campaign, invites, the programme, wayfinding, exhibition graphics and merchandise.
Visitors to the show can screenprint their own t-shirts from one of four designs that we have supplied (two are shown below).
The print fair runs from the 7th to 10th November 2019. Tickets are available at woolwichprintfair.com
Awards
- 2020 D&AD | Branding | Tone of Voice | Shortlisted
- 2020 Brand Impact Awards | Craft in branding: copywriting | Shortlisted
The team
- Design and core narrative: Johnson Banks
- Additional copy: Johnson Banks, Nick Asbury and Ivan Kirwan-Taylor
- Original logo design: Rhys Dando
- Digital advertising: Algebra Digital