The Heights
ROLE | Digital Graphics and Video Assistant
Overview
The Heights Merchants Association BIA is a Business Improvement Area in Burnaby that consists more than 330 merchants. The HMA is responsible for promoting the heights as well as proving services to all of its merchants. These services consist of street clean up, and merchant needs such as marketing and promotions. Moreover, the HMA contributes to the community by hosting and participating in wide variety of events such as Hat off Day, Light up the Heights, Giro di Burnaby, and many more.
I was hired as a Digital Graphics and Video Assistant, however my role and the projects that I was assigned to were wide ranging. I made updates on the website, designed posters for different events, created templates for social media posts as well as the appropriate captions for posts, contacted 80 + merchants to collect sponsorships, created social media contest, and visited over 200 merchants by hand delivering materials. All of these together helped me to get a sense of the community that exists in this neighbourhood and it introduced me to the culture surrounding this environment. This helped me to get a sense of the heights audience and be able to provide content and designs that are suitable for this community.
Memorable Contributions
Crave the Heights
- Led the branding initiative for Crave The Heights 2018, involving poster design, merchant guide and participation form redesign, creation of restaurant menus, both print and digital artwork, and development of advertising materials.
Hats Off Day
- Contributed to content creation and maintenance for print materials and the website, while also capturing and posting photos on social media platforms throughout the event. These efforts resulted in high attendance and positive feedback from attendees.
Crave the heights
As part of my role at HMA, I spearheaded the branding efforts for “Crave the Heights,” an annual neighborhood dining showcase in the Heights area. My responsibilities encompassed a wide array of tasks, from designing the event’s visual identity to creating promotional materials for sponsors. The objective was to develop a modern, simple, and aesthetically pleasing brand that would capture the attention of the target audience effectively.
Approach
To achieve this, I meticulously planned each aspect of the project, breaking down tasks and allocating them among the team. My focus was on crafting a cohesive brand experience across all touchpoints. I began by designing the event poster using Adobe Illustrator, employing a centered layout and carefully selected imagery to ensure readability and visual impact. Playing with opacity levels allowed me to establish hierarchy and draw attention to key information.
One of the challenges encountered was the time constraint, which limited our ability to conduct individual photoshoots of participating merchants’ offerings. Consequently, I strategically utilized a single background image across various materials to maintain consistency while maximizing efficiency.
Following the poster design, I transitioned to creating digital and print artworks for event sponsors, BurnabyNow and Miss604. These artworks, comprising horizontal banners, required a simplified approach due to their smaller size and the need for swift communication. Leveraging the same imagery from the poster, I crafted visually compelling designs that conveyed the event’s essence succinctly.
Ideation for poster
Final Poster
BurnabyNow artworks
Final design for BurnabyNow newspaper
Miss604 artworks
Final design for Miss604 website
Results & Takeaways​
This project reinforced the importance of strategic planning and adaptability in meeting tight deadlines. It underscored the significance of consistency in branding across various mediums and the impact of thoughtful design choices in capturing audience attention.
Hats Off Day
In collaboration with the Hats Off Day Committee, I had the opportunity to contribute to the organization and execution of Hats Off Day 2018, one of Burnaby’s premier events. As part of my Co-op term, I played a pivotal role in updating print and website content for the event, as well as ensuring smooth operations on the day itself.
Process
During the initial weeks of my Co-op term, I was actively involved in updating both print and website content for Hats Off Day, aligning with the event’s goals and objectives. This included refreshing content on various platforms to engage attendees and provide relevant information leading up to the event.
On the day of Hats Off Day, my responsibilities shifted to ensuring the seamless execution of logistics and activities. This involved coordinating with entertainers, participants, vendors, merchants, and volunteers to ensure everyone was in their designated positions and that operations ran smoothly.
A significant aspect of my role was managing social media activities throughout the event. This included scheduling posts, running a giveaway to engage attendees, capturing moments through photography, and assisting with event setup and takedown. One of the highlights of my involvement was coordinating a social media scavenger hunt. This involved conceptualizing the activity, organizing logistics such as assembling prizes and strategically hiding them throughout the event area. I also orchestrated the social media aspect, crafting posts to guide participants and gather contestant information for post-event engagement.
The collaborative efforts of the team resulted in a successful Hats Off Day 2018, with engaging pre-event promotion and seamless event day operations. The social media scavenger hunt proved to be a hit, driving participation and interaction among attendees, contributing to the overall vibrancy of the event.
Social media post for Hats Off Day
Social media post for Hats Off Day
Social media post for scavenger hunt
Social media post for scavenger hunt
Results & Takeaways​
This experience reinforced the importance of meticulous planning and effective coordination in event management. It highlighted the value of leveraging social media as a tool for engagement and interaction, and the significance of adaptability in responding to dynamic event environments.
