Tess Pilgrim is a graphic designer based in London
Tess Pilgrim is a graphic designer based in London
Logo design / branding / digital advertising / print advertising / social media design / animation / out-of-home design
Official London Theatre’s Show Time is an extension of Official London Theatre’s New Year Sale offer: a huge range of tickets to top West End shows for £10, £20, £30, £40 and £50. Show Time is part of the Society of London Theatre’s ongoing efforts to encourage theatregoing as the industry continues to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
I drew a considerable number of lo-fi thumbnail sketches with different concepts. The brief required the visuals to be theatrical but not clichéd as well as appealing to longtime theatre fans but not alienating to customers who visit the theatre less regularly.
Ultimately, the team settled on the neon lettering and spotlights as modern and theatrical without being excessively so. The audience photograph was chosen for the background to keep the visuals rooted in theatre as opposed to other events like night clubs or gigs.
The vibrancy of the neon and spotlights leant itself well to digital applications. These could be easily animated or also look strong static, with bold colours which really popped on screens.
However, these sorts of colours were challenging to work with in print without sacrificing quality. During the design process, I had to be mindful that the design needed to work in print and utilise the colours and lighting accordingly, carefully tweaking and testing print materials throughout the process.
Show Time was supported by Network Rail and the Mayor of London, with events in Charing Cross, Waterloo and Victoria. These featured cabaret stars and the chance for members of the public to get involved with the chance to sing along to their favourite show tunes.
Show Time’s digital advertising had different styles to appeal to different audiences. The first version features subtle movement in the glow of the neon, but otherwise keeps the offer most prominent to attract price-conscious customers. The second version showcases different plays which are part of the promotion, using their brands to draw the interest of people who are already interested in the theatre but perhaps feel that these famous shows would be too difficult or expensive to get tickets for.