Branding · Creative Direction · Visual Identity
Naming · Wayfinding · Merchandise · Print Design
In 2014, Seedbed Publishing decided to host a conference called “New Room” for their tribe of customers and supporters. After a promising first year of 250 attendees, they had a vision for substantial growth, and realized that they needed a solid brand that could carry the conference moving forward.
After a few unsatisfying attempts at brand marks in a more typical conference style, I went back to the original inspiration for the conference nam: a historic chapel/boarding house in Bristol, England called John Wesley’s New Room. Based on the iconic feature window in the building and a clean humanist typeface, I proposed a simple brand identity that would be versatile for years to come.
In the years since, there have been 9 additional conferences, with attendance growing from 250 to over 2500. The New Room brand has expanded to include regional gatherings, online livestream events, print and virtual courses.
Each conference is presented without sponsors, and at the lowest cost possible, in order to make it as accessible as possible to attendees, typically ministers and non-profit leaders from small communities. Nevertheless, we have strived to present an unforgettable experience, from the event graphics to registrant materials.
Here are a few examples of recent conferences.