Overview

As a member of the TEDxCornellUniversity steering committee, I took on the responsibility of establishing and maintaining advertising, branding and media. This was done through a series of productions including the TEDxCornellUniversity website, pamphlets for attendees of the TEDx event, posters to advertise around campus and one large banner to mark the event’s location.

Design Considerations

• Prior to event: website served as a launch board during the initial advertising campaign to distribute key event details and information on speakers
• After event: website served as a place to view information on the speakers, watch videos of the talks, find details of the next year’s event, and gather information on the organizing body
• The design should incorporate key elements of the official TED website
• The layout should allow visitors to quickly find event details to avoid a high bounce rate and low visit duration

Goals

• Develop the site and launch it within one week
• Give visitors all the information they need to know in a concise manner
• Provide the option for visitors to view more detailed information if they choose
• Enable extensibility of the site to hold post-event details without much layout modification

Solutions

• Borrow the design of TEDxUofM and modify it to complete the style and layout development quickly
• Place only need-to-know information (including that which is required by TED licenses) on the index
• Provide more information on speakers on a separate page

Event Pamphlet Design

Design Considerations

• Would be given to all attendees of TEDxCornellUniversity at the time of the event
• Ability to be easily mass produced
• Needed to contain information on each speaker
• Include a clear note about the networking event to follow the talks
• Integrate a link to the website into layout

Goals

• Give attendees all the details on each speaker so they may do research at home
• Provide an event timeline, detailing the approximate order of events to occur
• Be easy and cheap to make in bulk, using standard printing techniques
• Give space for attendees to take notes

Solutions

• Reuse the website design for speakers layout
• Print on one side of standard 8.5 by 11 paper using laser color printers available on campus
• Use color to differentiate the timeline from the speaker’s bios
• Follow the TED color scheme

Poster Design

Design Considerations

• The poster would be displayed alongside other posters of similar form factor, likely on top of other posters
• View attention for bulletin boards is limited, and only the newest and most unique content is focused on

Goals

• Grab the attention of students despite competing advertisements
• Enhance the visibility of the poster by making it stand out
• Placate sponsors by displaying their logos

Solutions

• Use large white spaces in combination with a large version of the well-recognized TED logo to attract attention
• Print in a non-standard size, chosen to be 11 by 18, to help stand out from other posters