Summer of Fun

2021 Selection

Designed by Gavin Feiritéar (Freelance)

Ice-cream illustration: Laura Angoh

Categories: Promotional / Identity / Moving Image / Social Media / Screen

Industry: Cultural

Tags: Film / Illustration / Digital / Campaign / Festival / Event / Motion / Covid-19 / Animation / Cinema / Merchandise

Upon received word that they could finally reopen after a long and dismal lockdown, Element Cinemas decided to give the people what they craved and went all-out with a Summer of Fun movie season to get people out socialising again. The lineup was put to vote online and a programme bursting with cinematic confection was arranged at short notice to be screened at Light House Cinema in Dublin and Pálás in Galway from June 2021.

A short turnaround and the potential for future closures and disruptions meant that a flexible programme had to be adopted, one that would allow them to promote newly scheduled screenings on a day-to-day basis. A dynamic and adaptable marketing solution was required to fit their flexible schedule.

A creative response to a uniquely 2021 problem was formed. Inspired by the menu found on the side of a 1990s ice-cream van, a series of animated stickers with references to each featured film was designed and uploaded to Giphy for easy access to their marketing staff. A selection of menu templates was provided, allowing Light House and Pálás to promote their daily specials on a rolling basis via social media. Customers were encouraged to share the fun with the stickers online, generating word-of-mouth buzz about the Summer of Fun movie season.

Merchandise and venue dressing followed, along with a large-scale 'menu board' and vinyl sticker packs. A vivid colour palette and ice-cream swirl motif was incorporated to express the giddy sugar rush triggered by the call of an ice-cream van, beckoning the bored and weary locals to (finally) come out and play again.