Podge: an experiential event concept for the design industry event of the year
The brief
Each year the Design Podge lunch is wrapped up in a brilliant theme, and for the 24th annual gathering at the esteemed IoD in London, we were chosen to produce the creative concept. As part of our ideation we explored the significance of the number 24 and its various denotations, before deciding to focus on the premise of time. We wanted to incorporate movement into the project, but we also wanted the concept to be fun and enjoyable for guests. The creative output needed to work from a promotional perspective online and in print, and also be tangible enough to be brought to life in an experiential way in the IoD’s grand Garden Room.
The solution
Granted with total creative freedom, and a unique audience of design professionals to impress, we started by experimenting with the idea of time. The concept first came to life in the form of an original stop-motion animation of a handcrafted paper sundial, featuring small sculptures, which in its 12th position turns to reveal the number 24. This simple idea, featuring blocks of colour, shapes and light, acted as a visual cue for the rest of the project. Each element of the concept adopted the same vibrant colour palette and distinctive typography with geometric characters that perfectly mirror the shapes found within the original animation.
The event creative spanned from beautiful invitations to bespoke giant Jenga table numbers and a vibrant seating plan. Colourful, semi-transparent vinyl stickers masked the windows and a chromatic, wooden wrap encased the bar counter. As the first Podge Lunch to have outdoor access, the beautiful garden became the backdrop for a scattering of giant, colourful and soft geometric sculptures, which added to the experiential nature of the event design.
To complement the printed collateral and the immersive installation, we crafted a side-scrolling website to host the guest list and menu, showcasing the stop-frame animation as the user scrolls, revealing the number 24 at the end of the page.
“One of the most enjoyable things leading up to every Podge lunch is the opportunity to work with a different branding and digital agency to help bring a new theme to life. Over 24 years I have had the pleasure of working with some of the best designers in the country. This year working with Salad was an absolute dream from start to finish. The designs were simple, beautiful and brought to life on the day with subtlety and care at the venue.”
