Holdershaw Creative | Senior Brand & Spatial Graphic Designer | Calgary - Exsterno

Project Details

Visual Identity, Event Credentials and Facility Screen Assets

Host: Exsterno Stampede Elevated (Maxim Experiences, Maxim Canada and Sovrn Club International)

Role: Brand Designer and Digital Asset Strategist

Scope: Brand Concept, Colour System, Sponsorship Package, Pre-Event Promo Video Edit, Multi-Tier Passes, Lanyards, Drink Tickets, Wristbands, Email Marketing Assets, Digital Advertising and Venue Screen Media.

The Challenge

Launching Exsterno as an exclusive VIP festival experience during the July 2019 Calgary Stampede required a unified visual identity capable of representing a high profile joint collaboration between Maxim Experiences, Maxim Canada and Sovrn Club International. Hosted at The Palace Theatre on Stephen Avenue, the project needed a high impact aesthetic that maintained luxury brand appeal across initial corporate sponsorship packages, physical access credentials, digital marketing campaigns and multi display facility screen systems throughout the venue.

The Strategy and Solution

Conceptualized the visual identity and colour direction for Exsterno, blending late night festival energy with VIP exclusivity. Applied a clean design approach that aligned with Maxim's flexible brand guidelines, seamlessly merging the event creative with Maxim Experiences standards. Cut an official pre-event promo video using approved talent footage and Maxim US media. Designed targeted digital ads and physical access passes engineered for rapid security recognition in low light environments, alongside co-branded sponsor assets for venue screen networks on site.

Visual Identity and Facility Assets

Visual Direction, Digital Ads and On Site Credentials

Established a bold modern brand system built around high contrast typography and distinct colour hierarchies across VIP, Corporate, Media and All Access tiers. Designed a multi-tier credential pass system built for rapid visual recognition by event security in low light environments. Produced targeted digital advertising campaigns and promotional video content to drive pre-event ticket sales, alongside custom formatted sponsor logo media optimized for high resolution playback across the venue screen networks.

Event Logo and Clear Space Rule

Event Colour Palette and Typeface System

Primary Logo Lockups and Colour Variations

14 Page Sponsorship Package

Corporate and Luxury Partner Collateral

Developed a premium 14 page printed sponsorship brochure designed to secure high value corporate partners and luxury brand sponsors. Built with a high contrast dark mode visual hierarchy across 12 inner pages and two covers, the physical package detailed venue layout overviews, custom magazine cover activations, tier structures and co-branded media opportunities across Maxim US and Sovrn Club networks.

Front Cover

Table of Contents and Venue Overview Pages 1-2

Venue Overview Continued Pages 3-4

Partnership Agreements and Potential Talent Booking Pages 5-6

Geo Targeted Emails and Display Ads Page 7-8

Event Coverage and Recap Pages 9-10

Maxim Cover Photo Booth and Sponsorship Packages Pages 11-12

Thank You Rear Cover

Printed 14 Page Sponsorship Package

Printed Promo Cards

Save the Date Mail Chimp Evite

Event Web Portal and Hero Banner

Google Display Ads: Tier 3 Package (10+ Ads)

Google Display Ads Mockup

Social Media Campaign

Instagram and Facebook Marketing Assets

Built a unified visual marketing campaign across Instagram and Facebook to drive ticket conversions and establish early brand momentum. Combining impactful typography, crisp artist lineups and promotional motion clips, the digital media suite balanced raw festival energy with luxury VIP positioning to capture target audience attention across competitive social feeds.

Instagram Profile Page Mockup and Performer Post Grid

Facebook Profile Page Assets

Social Media In Use Mockup

Environmental and On-Site Experience

Physical Credentials, Venue Graphics and VIP Touchpoints

Designed a comprehensive physical asset system tailored for high volume venue operations at The Palace Theatre. The production suite included multi-tier access passes, custom lanyards, wristbands and drink tickets built with distinct colour hierarchies for instant visual verification by security personnel in dark event spaces. Environmental graphics spanned large format sponsor photo backdrops, landscape wall banners, custom sponsor signs on the mezzanine and balcony level horizontal ticker displays throughout the venue.

Saturday Sponsor Photo Wall

Sunday Sponsor Photo Wall

Sunday Sponsor Photo Wall Mockup

Exsterno Event Banner Mockup

Top Sponsors Logo Banners

Saturday VIP Multi-Tier Passes (1 of 3)

Saturday VIP Multi-Tier Passes (4 of 6)

Sunday VIP Multi-Tier Passes (1 of 3)

Sunday VIP Multi-Tier Passes (4 of 6)

General Admission Wristband, Drink Ticket and Lanyard Design

Event Passes with Lanyards Mockup

General Admission Wristband Mockup

GIF1: Diplo at EXSTERNO in Lonely Music Video

GIF 2: Diplo at The Calgary Stampede 2019

The Outcome

Delivered a cohesive brand identity that successfully launched Exsterno during the July 2019 Calgary Stampede, seamlessly aligning the visual presence of Maxim Experiences, Maxim Canada and Sovrn Club International. The event's media production achieved unexpected viral reach when headliner Diplo featured festival footage in his official music video for Lonely with the Jonas Brothers, which briefly captured the agency logo on screen during event clips (1:45). By combining striking visual design with functional credentials, digital ad collateral and venue screen execution, the project delivered high-value sponsor visibility and global culture presence.

EXSTERNO | STAMPEDE ELEVATED

EXSTERNO | STAMPEDE ELEVATED