Project Overview

The NO/BS Conference is a response to the persistent commercial focus of digital conferences and events, where meaningful real-world content and value is lacking. It's a place where creative and like-minded people can get together, listen to some amazing stories and just cut through all the.... BS.

There is a massive misconception that success is born overnight. That all you need is an idea to succeed... Wrong. No matter the industry, it takes hard work. And lots of time! Google, Amazon, Apple, these companies are +30 years old! That's older than the graduates entering the workforce who are born with these technologies in their hands.

The NO/BS brand needed to appeal to next-gen creatives and dispel these kinds of unfounded beliefs that have subtly manifested and settled in today's industries. NO/BS needed to inspire, motivate and most importantly, validate people on their creative journeys.

Organisation

Soul+Wolf / The NO BS Group

Team

Jason Soultan - Founder & Design Director
Stephanie Allen - Senior Designer
Marco Rosano - Director
John Rosato - Marketing Manager

Project Brief

As a new brand and first-time conference, the magnitude of design and the design requirements necessary to successfully launch and grow the NO/BS brand was immense.

As a user or guest of an event/conference, it's extremely easy to take all the aspects of the attendee experience for granted. And yet, designing a brand and conference from scratch, requires so much be considered and implemented.

Beyond the brand itself which includes its tone of voice and positioning, there was marketing material such as various brand assets, website, EDMs, print collateral and constant content for social media. The conference required a venue with an appropriate floor-plan, stage/set and attendee journey. Not to mention the lanyards, gift bags, sponsor placement, meals and breaks, the VIP experience etc. And then there was the MC and how speakers/presentations were curated, ordered and introduced.

The sheer volume and amount of design delivered for the NO/BS brand was endless and a true testament to the passion and belief in the brand itself.

Project Innovation/Need

As a brand, NO/BS positioned itself as a thought leader within the creative space, where it leveraged its status to inspire, motivate and educate its audience.

To create this community as a first-time conference (with no previous event-based content to promote), the NO/BS brand established a strong social presence by using the brand's distinct and consistently direct tone of voice. Then, by positioning the brand alongside a curated list of industry leaders, it converged and connected the audience with its speakers and therefore, the brand.

As a community, the NO/BS audience is directly connected with their industry heroes and counterparts.

Design Challenge

NO/BS was designed to be an honesty and real-world look at the creative digital industry.

All other conferences seem to only gloss over the 'hard work' aspect of the creative industry and focus on content that showcases the "finished product". This attitude and lack of vulnerability only further reinforces the "overnight success" misconception that NO/BS is wanting to change.

NO/BS provided the perfect brand and platform to allow its speakers and attendees to talk, listen, learn and most importantly, interact without titles or egos.

As a new brand and first-time conference, the magnitude of design and the design requirements necessary to successfully launch and grow the NO/BS brand was immense.

As a user or guest of an event/conference, it's extremely easy to take all the aspects of the attendee experience for granted. And yet, designing a brand and conference from scratch, requires so much be considered and implemented.

Beyond the brand itself which includes its tone of voice and positioning, there was marketing material such as various brand assets, website, EDMs, print collateral and constant content for social media. The conference required a venue with an appropriate floor-plan, stage/set and attendee journey. Not to mention the lanyards, gift bags, sponsor placement, meals and breaks, the VIP experience etc. And then there was the MC and how speakers/presentations were curated, ordered and introduced.

The sheer volume and amount of design delivered for the NO/BS brand was endless and a true testament to the passion and belief in the brand itself.

Effectiveness

As a first-time event, NO/BS had a modest goal of selling 300 tickets to its inaugural Melbourne conference. What started as an idea 3 years prior, culminated in a conference that attracted +350 attendees and a phenomenal list of accomplished speakers that truly believed in the NO/BS brand.

The success or impact of the project was not only measured by this level of direct attendance, but the level of engagement and overwhelming feedback that was received both during the event and after. As a result, all sponsors and speakers have committed to next year's event, along with many attendees.

NO/BS did not aim to sensationalize the creative digital industry, it was about exposing it.