Behind the Brand: How I Designed the Full Event Identity for People's Pride Southampton
People’s Pride Southampton - Party in the Park Posters
Some projects are just work. And then some projects mean something.
My work with People's Pride Southampton falls firmly into the second category. It's one of those projects I look back on with real pride - and not just because the end result looked brilliant. It's because of what the event represents, how the relationship started, and what it proved to me about what I'm capable of as a designer.
Here's the full story.
How It All Started
Back in 2021, as the world was slowly coming back to life after lockdowns and outdoor events were just starting up again, I was looking for small Pride events where I could take my market stall and sell my pride pins. Most events charge eye-watering amounts for small business stalls - but People's Pride Southampton was different. Affordable, community-focused, and genuinely grassroots.
When I applied for a stall and took a look at their existing materials, something clicked. I could see the passion behind the event - but the design wasn't doing it justice. So I did what any designer would do. I reached out and offered my services.
That one message changed everything.
Year One: Party in the Park
For the first event, I designed a new brand for Party in the Park - their flagship Pride event. This included a new logo direction, an event poster, and a full event programme.
It was a relatively contained brief, but it set the tone for everything that followed. The team were brilliant to work with - open, enthusiastic, and trusting. And the response to the new look was immediately positive.
Year Two: This is Me
For the second year, People's Pride Southampton wanted to go bigger - in every sense. After conversations with the committee about the direction of the event, we landed on a new name: This is Me. A name that says everything about what Pride means.
The brand concept I developed centred around a masquerade mask - used as a symbol of taking off your mask and being yourself. Bold, meaningful, and instantly striking. The colour palette was clean but joyful, and every element of the design carried that same sense of liberation and celebration.
For this event, People's Pride Southampton chose my Full Production event package - which meant I was responsible for the entire visual identity from start to finish. Here's everything that was produced:
Event logo and full visual identity
Hero poster and additional poster designs
Flyers and leaflets
A detailed site map
Full event programme
Social media graphics and templates
Name badges and lanyards
Event signage throughout the site
Stage banners
Fence banners
And every single piece was designed with accessibility at its core - from contrast ratios and font sizes to easy-read versions of key materials.
The Bit I'm Most Proud Of
Managing a project of this scale - taking it from a blank page concept all the way through to a fully branded live event - is something I genuinely love. Seeing work go from a mood board to a finished stage banner in the real world is hard to beat.
But the moment that really stuck with me? Hearing that an attendee came to the event specifically because the branding looked so good. That's the power of design. It doesn't just make things look pretty - it makes people show up.
The testimonial from the People's Pride team says it better than I ever could:
"Robin has designed event programmes, adverts, posters, logos, and social media graphics for us. He is patient, creates accessible designs, and on top of that despite a non-existent brief, he managed to interpret our charity's brand perfectly the first time. We honestly can not recommend Robin and Hi Top Design highly enough."
What This Project Taught Me
A few things I took away from this project that shape how I work today:
Trust your instincts. Reaching out to People's Pride when I spotted their poster was a risk. It paid off. If you see an opportunity, take it.
A clear brand can change everything. People's Pride went from materials that didn't reflect the quality of the event to a full, professional identity that made people want to attend. Design does that.
Accessibility isn't optional. Every piece of design I produce for events is built with accessibility in mind from day one - not bolted on at the end. It makes the work better, full stop.
Big projects are manageable when you have a process. A full event suite sounds overwhelming. But with a clear project timeline, good communication, and a structured approach, it's absolutely doable - and deeply satisfying.
Thinking About Your Event Branding?
If you're planning an event and want it to look the part from poster to programme - I'd love to help. I offer three event design packages to suit different scales and budgets, all built around giving your event a cohesive, professional identity that works everywhere.
Take a look at my event packages or get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat about what you need.