To create an authentic and visually engaging brand presence at New York Comic Con, I led the development of a full creative system that honored both the Tumblr brand identity and the fandom-driven culture of NYCC. The branding needed to be immersive, instantly recognizable, and deeply relevant to the community attending the event.

To bring this vision to life, I created a set of internal moodboards that blended comic book aesthetics—like panel layouts, halftone textures, and dramatic typography—with Tumblr’s own design language. We also drew inspiration from NYCC’s visual history and fandom subcultures spanning sci-fi, fantasy, anime, and retro games.

Components

Working closely with the stakeholders on the editorial and partnership teams as well as our contracted designers, I managed the development and rollout of all branding touchpoints, including:

• Event signage: Immersive backdrops and photo walls

• Promotional video showed on stages: Mood boards and style guides to direct the video production

• Digital materials: Branded social templates, QR landing pages

New York Comic Con 2023 welcomed over 200,000 attendees, making it the largest comic convention in North America. In that high-traffic, high-stakes environment, our sponsorship branding stood out as one of the most immersive and culturally resonant experiences on the floor. Our creative activation drove significant on- and off-platform engagement, generating over 7 million impressions across Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter/X during the entire event promotion window. The campaign also reinforced Tumblr’s relevance and credibility within the entertainment and fandom space, positioning the platform as an active cultural player in the industry.

Designing for physical space requires balancing brand consistency with real-world utility. Translating Tumblr’s digital-first identity into a physical presence taught me how to create work that grabs attention in real life while staying true to the brand. From the backdrop design to the swag to signage dispersed throughout the event floors, I learned how experiential design influences emotional connection. Another big learning was that fandom-driven design is the way to earn community trust. Designing for NYCC’s audience reminded me of the importance of deep cultural fluency. The visuals not only increased brand exposure but also brand relevance with partners and everyday con goers.

Other takeaways included:

• Real-world impact is measurable beyond impressions.

• Cross-functional alignment is key to scaling a campaign.

• Designing within constraints can fuel creativity.