Exhibit for Endangered Species
Case Study
BLACKOUT is a non-profit event that was created for a project in a class called Design for the Public Good. The project prompt was to create a brand that aligned with your passion cause that aligned with the mission of a nonprofit organization. Animal conservation is the cause this event was created around in partnership with the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and the Philadelphia Zoo. This is a hypothetical event.
THE NON PROFIT
Pennsylvania Environmental Council: Started in 1970, PEC is a model for implementing collaborative solutions to environmental protection and restoration. Working with partners to recognize the links between the environment, the economy, and the quality of life.
Audience:
- Environmental lover/activists
- Pennsylvania residents
- Legislators
- Zoo Goers
Events By PEC:
- Partnership Dinner
- Bicycle Film Festival
- Cycle + Cruise + Brews
- Wild Edibles Tour for Kids
- The Vintage Jaunt
When creating ideas for my event, I looked back at PEC’s events and tried to create something that aligned with their creativity but also focused on a new topic and new demographic. That being animals as the focus and families for the new demographic.
Help Areas: PEC could use a bigger outreach to the general public. A lot of events are active things and require bikes or niche interests and thus shut out a large population. Broader events that are more accessible to the general public for an event could help gain more attention.
THE IDEA
The event ideas below were preliminary to the final plan for BLACKOUT. Intentions behind the dinner party and behind the gates led to the full purpose of BLACKOUT. I found a lot of value in this brainstorming process.
Dinner Party
Details: This event would be a dinner party that even the average public could afford. The idea is that no effort is too small. Dinner will be vegetarian served in the zoo where exhibits will be open. Those exhibits of endangered species will have special attention with zoo presenters talking about why they are endangered and why we should save the species.
Behind The Gates
Details: This event is a chance for guests and donors to go behind the gates of animal exhibits to see what zookeepers do day-to-day. The idea is to better connect the public with the efforts zoos make for conservation and tackle the stigma of being big cages for wild animals. Exhibits of endangered species would be the ones with their gates open to better teach the public of the special animals and build a connection.
USER PERSONAS
It was important for the audience of BLACKOUT to fit both with the Philadelphia Zoo as well as Pennsylvania Environmental Council. In focusing on a teacher and a father I felt that they embodied the visitors of Philadelphia and it’s zoo. Also, because of their positions as both educational and life teachers, they were great advocates for the topic at hand and the perfect fit to inspire the next generations.
THE CAUSE
Animal Conservation
The goal of this event is to raise awareness for endangered animals and the conservation efforts to bring their numbers up. As well as conserving the species that are not endangered and making sure their land is protected in order to continue to survive.
EVENT DETAILS
BLACKOUT is an exhibition sponsored by Pennsylvania Environmental Council in partnership with the Philadelphia Zoo. Exhibits of endangered species will be off view for this event to simulate what it would be like visiting the zoo if we do not make a change. Exhibit the extinction at BLACKOUT and experience a zoo that could be the future generation’s reality. Learn about the animals who are threatened with extinction, the causes, and the solutions as you walk along.
RESEARCH
Most of the research for this event was about endangered animals. The most important part was understanding why these animals were becoming endangered, and what information needed to be communicated to the public. All of the research started broad then narrowed in on the individual species within the Philadelphia Zoo. For things like marketing, the facts and information was aimed broad and for more of that interest-grabbing information. Whereas the research gathered for the exhibit panels was more narrow and focused on specific threats to the species.
Mood Board: The original idea of the exhibit was more of an event and even had a dinner party to go along with it and a palette of 6 colors. That vision, however, was not matching the urgency of the topic and the importance of awareness through the general public. The style and vision to the left is the final mood board for the brand consisting of all high-contrast photography and 3 colors. Unlike other changing ideas, the concept of panels was key from the beginning. All zoo exhibits have them in some capacity and as seen in the lower right, even toddlers can get intrigued.
Style Tile: Blackout’s brand is based on the idea of conceal and reveal. These things are present in the invite, AR t-shirts, photography, and the stark palette of black and white. The focus is on the animals, facts, and information related to their extinction. As a result, no elaborate graphics or color palettes are needed and would otherwise be a distraction from the urgency of their existential crisis. Instead, the BLACKOUT brand consists of clean lines and the use of high contrast to convey the seriousness of the threats to their survival.
Logo: Naming this event was the easy part simply because of the literal idea and meaning of it. BLACKOUT is both the literal idea of blacking out the endangered species exhibits. As well as the idea of disappearing. When it came to the logo I first went elegant and tried to create a feeling of disappearance, however, the harshness of the event’s truth wasn't showing through. Using tape to cover up was an important part of the brand’s style so I tried implementing it as a censor type bar. This worked but it gave nothing to the overall brand and the urgency was still missing. This is when the X came into play and at this point, it was a matter of where to cover the word.
Blacking Out The Exhibits: In order to blackout the exhibits, large panels had to be created to cover the viewing area for each endangered species exhibited at the zoo. These panels were important because they are an accumulation of all the most important information about each endangered species. The information included had to be digestible for all walks of life and also specific enough to show the real impact on these species. Each panel includes basic biographical information as well as the top threats to each animal. The intro text is about why the species matters enough to be saved and also a section on how as individuals you can help. On the right are large facts that show the true depth of the severity of endangered species.
Deliverables
To be interesting but informative, each element uses the brand assets in a different way, showcasing a flexible and engaging identity. For example, the info panels from afar reveal the animal’s name and a disturbing fact about the species. Then as you stand closer, information on threats to the species and how to help is more readable.
The postcards seen below are a key element to the awareness and activism of BLACKOUT. Advocating for a cause is amazing but let's be honest, life gets hectic. These postcards are prewritten letters to congress advocating to support the Endangered Species Act and also to protect the habitats of all species. All the visitor has to do is fill in the name and address of their congresswoman/man and drop it in the mailbox at the event. It takes out the guilt of not going to marches and instead shows the public that they CAN make a difference in some way.
For this exhibit, there are 3 approaches to an Instagram media campaign. The first is grid posts about each specific species that gives a quick look at the severity of their situation. The second is also a grid post but of quick facts that help to relate these big numbers to humans such as the size of a continent or the population of a country. The third approach uses the Instagram highlight reels. These are the same information that one would find on the panels at the zoo, so even if they are across the world, anyone can experience BLACKOUT.
On the BLACKOUT website, the public can register for the event, find out more about the non-profit PEC, and also get a quick look into conservation at the Philadelphia Zoo.
An Augmented Experience: As a takeaway for this event, I wanted a lasting impression and one that could spread excitement and hope. Each of these shirts at first seems aggressive with a huge white X on a full black shirt. There is a tag on each shirt that details how to download and use that Artivive App on their phone to experience the excitement and life of these endangered species. This experience is meant to show people that these animals are worth saving and bring joy that we overlook sometimes just because it isn’t in our daily life. Each shirt is a piece of zen and nature that visitors can wear proudly.
BLACKOUT truly is a passion project that can mold into so many different avenues of animal conservation and activism. This idea of “Acting Local” to “Impact Global” is an ideology that should and can be carried across all global crises. This event was made and designed both aesthetically and conceptually to allow the viewer to be motivated by small acts and see that no problem can be fixed without awareness. These animals may be across the world from wherever you are but they impact your day-to-day life.
Instructor: Kelly Holohan
Institution: Tyler School of Art & Architecture
Sources: Philadelphia Zoo & World Wildlife Fund
