Calliope Bros. Circus

My senior capstone project was a brand identity for a reimagined circus - including a logo, poster series, program, website, tickets, banners, and miscellaneous items like stickers and stamps. The entire project from ideation to research to design took place over a span of ten weeks.

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Visual style.

The aesthetic is influenced by old circus posters from the early-mid twentieth century and Dada art. The traditional radiant pattern is present, but not with the typical muted primary colors - these are a twist on primary colors found in old circus imagery. The colors are bright and vibrant, with a pop of unsettling neon green that vibrates. Image-making consists of a mix of vector and halftone imagery and expressive typography. Traditional-looking typefaces are combined with modern slab serifs to create an eclectic mix. Overall, it's outrageous design you won’t believe.

Mission statement.

Calliope Bros. Circus strives to delight and entertain people of all ages and from all walks of life with fanciful circus acts. We proudly provide a glimpse into the past with an authentic big-top experience, all with a genuine, family-run feel.
The safety and ethical treatment of animals is of utmost importance to us, which is why we don’t include them in our show at all. Instead, our acts involve “animals” in the sense of humans and mechanics coming together to recreate an animal-like experience, with just as much fun and wonder packed in.
We are also known for our trademark calliope music, so you can be sure to hear when the circus is coming to town.

Table of Contents / List of Deliverables

Posters begin to spring up in the streets, on the subway, and are seen on people's commutes.
Intrigued by these visuals, they go to the website on the posters to learn more info and to buy tickets.
Once they purchase the tickets, the large tickets are physically mailed to their address.
On the day of the show, they hand over tickets in return for the program containing more info about the show.
After the show is over, people will want to take souvenirs to remember their fun times at the circus.

Posters

These posters are meant to be seen both alone and together in a series, depending on the environment. Each poster features a different tagline and highlights a certain aspect of the show: clowns, trapeze artists, and the “animals.”

Spacer posters have more simplified compositions to complement the busier ones, yet still carry the easily-identifiable “C”. All the posters are unified through their color palette, logo placement, and the use of the color-block bottom bar.

Website

The one page marketing site that would contain everything you need to know about the circus. Featuring an attention-grabbing hero image and showcasing the company's mission and general information. Here you can buy your ticket to the show.

Tickets

The tickets would be large and physical - in an age where tickets are usually sent digitally, the physicality of the tickets would also reference back to the time when the circus was in its heyday.

Booklet

The program booklet that would be handed to you upon arrival at the show. It features important information about the cast and show itself, and provides more history about the circus.

It uses the same visual language as the rest of the system, and plays with compositions in a publication format. Large, full bleed spread break up the content, much like the poster system.