./PRI in Person (& Online) 2022./

PRI in Person is internationally recognised as the leading global conference on responsible investment. Over the years, esteemed speakers and contributors, including former US Vice President Al Gore, French President Emmanuel Macron, His Majesty King Charles III, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Rory Sutherland , Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, alongside key figures within the investment industry, have participated in the conference.

The 2022 event, held in Barcelona, embraced a hybrid format, allowing delegates to join both in person and online.

The challenge

Since taking charge of the design aspect for the conference since 2014, my responsibilities have grown in tandem with its increasing scale and diversity of offerings. For the 2022 edition, an additional challenge was the unforeseen closure of the initially chosen venue due to the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, this raised the need for the organisation search and secure another venue, this limited the time allocated for design and production of assets by almost 50%.

The Solution

My team and I had to adapt quickly. We implemented a more methodical approach, organising regular progress-monitoring calls and establishing dedicated Microsoft Team channels to facilitate remote collaboration. To handle the increased workload and tight deadlines, we procured additional hardware and enlisted external agencies for assistance on smaller projects. I took on the primary responsibility for the project, supported by my team where their experience allowed.

The Outcome

Despite the demanding circumstances, we successfully delivered all the venue branding assets and digital promotion materials. I am grateful for my team's support, as they contributed to specific sub-projects, such as video animations, vox pops, printed agendas, and the PRI Academy stand.

The artworks maintained a high standard of quality, and I received praise from various levels within the organisation for both the quality of the work and the speed of delivery. I was particularly gratified to receive positive feedback from colleagues and suppliers alike, such as Dushow, one of Europe's most important Audio-Visual companies responsible for lighting, sound, video, rigging, and technical production.

Additionally, attendees approached me personally to commend the branding, a rare occurrence, in my experience, that further validated the success of our efforts.

When tasked with creating a distinct visual identity for the event, my objective was to effectively convey the hybrid nature of the gathering.

Drawing upon my previous work in 2020 for our Digital Conference and in 2021 for the introduction of our Digital Forums series, I developed a cohesive brand identity that effectively communicated the essence of the event. By incorporating imagery that captured both the global digital reach of the event and the sense of people coming together, I aimed to strike a balance that resonated with the audience.

I am delighted to share that the concept I presented received positive feedback, and we successfully implemented it across all project-related assets. The consistent application of the brand identity throughout the event materials further reinforced the event's unique hybrid nature, enhancing its visual appeal and ensuring a cohesive experience for participants.

Working closely with Events team and with the support of our social media manager and external digital agency, I developed a vast array of assets for both print and digital channels.

Conference Centre

See more images from past editions

Housekeeping video animation

At the request of the team, I was tasked with enhancing the housekeeping set of PowerPoint slides used during each day of the conference. To elevate the experience, I proposed the concept of an animated video that could be played in a continuous loop. This innovative idea was met with great enthusiasm, and since then, the housekeeping video has become a prominent highlight on the main stage, consistently captivating audiences for the past two years.

Designing the PRI Stand

I was also responsible to design the PRI stand, a central piece of the Exhibition space, where delegate can gather and ask information about the PRI and its offering. I created the graphics and submitted mockups to better give an idea of what the final product would look like. The project was particularly challenging given the very tight timeframe.

In close collaboration with the events team, our social media manager, and an external digital agency, I developed a wide array of assets tailored specifically for our digital channels. This encompassed meticulously crafted packs, which were strategically shared with esteemed keynote speakers and sponsors, in order to significantly expand our outreach and impact. We also worked on the design of both digital and printed programme agenda (as PRI in Person is a paperless event, the foldable agenda was the only printed material we produced). By leveraging the influence of these key partners, we successfully maximised visibility and magnified the resonance of our core message.

Furthermore, the campaign's trajectory began during the conclusive stages of the 2022 edition, when we unveiled a promotional video highlighting Tokyo as the forthcoming host city for the 2023 event. This approach ensured that our campaign garnered the utmost visibility while powerfully amplifying our overarching message.