Award-Winning Trojan Horse: A Unique Approach to Branding

Maryam Khaleghi Yazdi's Innovative Design for Athens Film Festival

The design is a set of promotional materials, including posters, T-shirts, tote bags, and coasters, each narrating a specific part of a story. The narrative language of the design sets it apart from others. Each material not only harmonizes visually with the others but also coordinates as different chapters of a story. This approach to design creates a compelling and engaging narrative for the festival attendees.

The inspiration for the design comes from the legend of the Trojan Horse. The Athens Film Festival, much like the Trojan Horse, enters the town every year, and filmmakers dominate the town with their movies. The playful dogs, which have been the symbol of the festival for 45 years, represent the filmmakers. The different materials show the dogs in various stages of dominating the city, reflecting the festival's impact on the town.

The design process involved sketching all the compositions and characters manually before digitalizing them using Adobe Illustrator. The illustrations were then printed on various materials using silk screen techniques for the T-shirts, tote bags, and posters, and digital techniques for the coasters, programs, and envelopes.

Yazdi faced several challenges during the design process, the most significant being the lack of a coherent theme in the previous promotional materials. To overcome this, she conducted extensive research on the history of the festival and the previous promotional materials. She also conducted practical research by showing the initial sketches to a group of young students to gather their thoughts on the main concept.

The final design successfully achieved its goal of encouraging young students to participate in the film festival. The design's youthful taste and experimental feel resonated with the young audience, reflecting the festival's support for less-known young artists. The design was exhibited and used around Athens and Athena cinema in April 2018, creating a buzz and excitement around the festival.

In conclusion, Maryam Khaleghi Yazdi's Trojan Horse design for the Athens Film Festival is a unique approach to branding that combines storytelling with visual design. The design's success, as evidenced by its Silver A' Design Award, demonstrates the power of innovative design in creating engaging and memorable brand experiences.