Graduate fair design: cutting through the noise

Designing collateral for graduate fairs sounds easy enough, right? Just make the client look flash and stand out.

But when you break it down, there’s a bit more going on:

• You’re talking to multiple audiences including students, recruiters and lecturers

• There’s usually limited attention spans on the day

• There are tables, booth setups and weird viewing angles

• And let’s not forget… a truckload of logos.

So your design has to work hard. It’s gotta cut through the noise, make sense from a distance, and still feel totally on brand.

My go-tos?

• Big, bold headlines

• Layouts that work whether you’re across the room, or up close scanning a QR code

• Strong brand vibes

Good design isn’t just about looking sharp, it’s about nailing the brief. Even if that means making a QR code look good. 

Here's a few posters we hatched for Contact Energy Ltd recently.