Kentucky Performing Arts Process

Storytelling Opportunities

Inspired by Ellen Lupton's Design is Storytelling, I envisioned the entire brand story of KPA being told across multiple touchpoints. Ellen illustrated how people move through spaces—both physically and emotionally—and how designers can use these as opportunities to anticipate and direct behavior.

I worked with my Creative Director to create a wayfinding system presentation for the KPA team. I mapped out how people would attend performances and created customer journeys to illustrate experiential opportunities.

Emotional journey maps from "Design is Storytelling"

Branded Opportunities Ideas

- Clear garage directional signage

- Elevator/stair signage

- Anticipation building elevator graphics

- Lobby signage

- Lobby branded graphics & patterns

- Branded playbooks

I created initial customer journeys that highlight opportunities to use design to anticipate and direct behavior.

Customer journeys from "Design is Storytelling"

The most relevant information for attendees is 'above the fold' of a standard sized sheet of paper folded in half.

While not every brand opportunity could be utilized because of budget/time restrictions, I brought elements of my comprehensive system to as many touchpoints as possible.

Tickets: opportunities to make information more informative and accessible

Ticket stub priorities:

Organize relevant information using visual hierarchy
Make sure tickets could be printed at box office
Visually establish new brand
Utilize opportunities for brand awareness

The logo on the old tickets was torn off and discarded by ushers; the new tickets keep the logo on the section kept by attendees.

E-tickets

Printed e-tickets are usually printed on standard 8.5" x 11" paper. Through talking with my team, I found that people usually fold their tickets in half, making them easier to carry. I realized this could be an opportunity to prioritize the most important information for show attendees.

Hierarchy organization:

1. Performance Title

2. Location

3. Name and date

—below the fold—

4. Terms and conditions

5. Donor call out

6. Usher barcode

Restructure 404 Page: frustration to delight

- Clearly communicate error but avoid frustration

- Move customers back on purchase path

- Display attention to detail

- Insert brand graphics

- Add animation to delight and provide movement

Glitching stage lights animation: "broken"

Process

Kentucky Performing Arts

Old Brand

– Logo represented just one of many venues

– Dated, cluttered collateral

– No consistent, unified branding

Interior elevator doors environmental graphics provide delight and build anticipation.

The exterior elevator doors display one of the brand headlines as a pun.

Logo mark

Logo mark rotated: stage curtains

Environmental Graphics: provide direction and delight

—back to portfolio

Initial Logo Concepts

1. Kentucky Performing Arts:

My first logo concept incorporated a colon symbol after the name Kentucky Performing Arts. Through this symbol, KPA is always presenting. The colon mark is then carried through a flexible identity system.