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TedxPipitea event design marketing and management. A photo from behind the scenes of a ted talk

TEDxPipitea

Event design, marketing and management, all in the name of igniting hope.

Brand identity

Community outreach

Digital marketing

Event management

Live stream

Marketing strategy

TEDx is about celebrating ideas worth spreading. It’s about people from different walks of life coming together, sharing, inspiring and collaborating on movements that leave our communities better than what it was.

And TEDxPipitea is a manifestation of this aspiration – with a core purpose of sharing the voice of Wellington with the world.

This was no easy task. But one that we took in our stride. With Ciaran as a co-organiser and Obvious being the brand partner and sponsor for TEDxPipitea, our involvement extended far beyond the regular role of a marketing agency. 

It’s the shared kaupapa of uplifting communities, togetherness, social responsibility and ownership for creating a positive impact through ideas and stories that fueled the passion of every team member.

TedxPipitea event design marketing and management. A photo of one of the speakers during her talk.
TedxPipitea event design marketing and management. A photo from behind the scenes of a ted talk
TedxPipitea event design marketing and management. A photo from behind the scenes of a ted talk
TedxPipitea event design marketing and management. Social media examples

Navigating uncertainty

TEDxPipitea 2021 was unique in its own right. It was the first of its kind in Aotearoa and it was hosted under a climate of COVID-19 uncertainty. From what was initially envisioned as a 200 in-person live event, TEDxPipitea 2021 pivoted into a fully virtual livestream, which in the process invited some major creative, logistical, and organisational step-ups. This meant that we had to embrace our number-eight-wire attitude, show initiative, exercise due care and be super agile to any curveball.

And we took the bull by the horns. Our strategy was a combination of pro-action and reaction. We proactively created a brand narration that embraces the values of TEDxPipitea and one that could be adapted to any event layout. We reactively responded in tune with the dynamism that we were dealing with in a pandemic-infused environment. This meant that, not only we needed to be equipped with the right tools, technology, and the skills, but also the right people, leadership, and mindset.

Hope

We have been through so much. As a community, as a country, as humans. While we have become accustomed to an ever-changing environment, one thing that has remained constant is hope. Hope looks different to everyone - it’s personal and intimate. While at times we might find ourselves feeling hopeless, hope is what keeps us moving, dreaming, planning, functioning, thriving. This is why we called our debut TEDxPipitea ‘Hope’ - a resemblance of resilience and togetherness during these times and for the future. 

As the initial explorations of the TEDxPipitea 2021 brand began, we soon realised we could not define such a personal, human experience such as hope in a single ‘logo’ or mark. Rather, a collection of handwritten ‘hope’ assets captured the human, unique experience of hope and worked to visually express not only the diversity in the definition of hope, but also in our speakers and performers. 

To be hopeful when the cards appear to be stacked against you is an act of defiance in the face of adversity. This concept inspired a bold, slightly rebellious tone in the design implementation. A strong black and yellow colour palette also supported these driving themes. Yellow becomes a bright, uplifting colour offset against swathes of black.

With Hope, we went on a journey of empowerment. 

We empowered our speakers, promoters, partners, volunteers through a carefully curated work of design that highlights the essence of TEDxPipitea and what Hope could mean to each individual. And we did this through a multi-faceted campaign that saw our creative applications of Hope to be malleable and adaptable across various media, serving various objectives.

What does ‘Hope’ mean to you? What makes you Hopeful? Hopeless? We took to the streets to find out. Through an upbeat documentary-style video, we explored Hope through the eyes of a 10-year-old, an ascetic, a mother who is enjoying a day at the park with her kids, a retiree, a bagpiper, a college kid and many other ordinary and extraordinary people of Wellington, by asking a simple question – what are you hopeful for? Interestingly, the responses were diverse in the sense of what each individual Hoped for themselves, but also common in the sense of what they Hoped for their community, country and the world.

Outreach

Through this shared understanding of Hope and how personal it is, our approach to spreading our message too became personal. We collectively took the responsibility in a mass-personalised outreach to various community groups, corporates, public agencies, non-profits, individuals with vested interest and so much more, to onboard them as promoters, who see eye-to-eye with our kaupapa. These efforts, along with the key partnerships we have made, truly stand as a testament to what we can achieve when we come together as a team.

TedxPipitea event design marketing and management social media
TedxPipitea event design marketing and management. A photo from behind the scenes of a ted talk

We continued to empower stakeholders through our personal outreach. Our all-encompassing Media Kit was the one-stop hub that carried all the resources our promoters and partners could use to spread our message among their networks. Think social media calendars for ease of scheduling, social media posts with graphics and captions, copy for newsletters, notices, and articles. It was a multi-use resource that served many purposes and streamlined the promotion efforts of a variety of agents to conform to a consistent brand message.

In the same vein, our Speaker Kit personified each asset to portray each speaker & performer, harnessing their unique story, personality and what Hope meant to them, in their own words and penmanship. These assets in the form of social media posts, banners, and email signatures, empowered our amazing speakers & performers to present their self-narrative, far and wide, while keeping true to our brand identity.

TedxPipitea event promotion

And that wasn’t all. We shared our love across Aotearoa through a nation-wide poster campaign, where these pieces of art were displayed on over 400+ locations across Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch. These efforts were instrumental in creating awareness of TEDxPipitea, what it stood for and raising the Hope of the nation through our inspiring speakers & performers.

TedxPipitea event promotion
TedxPipitea event promotion

And the results? The synergies we have created extend far beyond the calculable metrics. 

TEDxPipitea has always been a project of passion and a labour of love.

In our social media efforts alone, we reached over 80,000 people and have had 2,000+ people tuning-in during the course of our livestream. That’s 2,000+ more people realising the perspectives of the unique ideas we were able to share.

This feat, by no means, is achievable by an individual alone. It was a reality that was evidenced through the collaboration, understanding, creativity, leadership, and agility that each one of us showed, in our own way. And together, we have empowered people and communities to Hope – to Hope for a better self, better relationships, a better world.

The event was really warm and welcoming. They seemed to have developed a community around the event, which I felt privileged to be part of. As they grow the event it would be an interesting challenge to see how they can take that vibe to a wider audience.

Sam Allen
Marketing Manager at Business Events