Live Screen Printing x AIGA Shift Symposium
The Specs
Client AIGA
Location Houston, TX
Merch Tote Bags
Quantity 150
Decoration Screen Printing and Monogram Letters
The Experience
In preparation for the Shift Symposium, our team met with the board from AIGA to understand the event’s creative direction. The symposium’s branding centered around layered halftone dot patterns, symbolizing the shifting and evolving nature of the creative industry. Inspired by this concept, we designed a live screen printing activation that allowed attendees to experiment with the same visual language used in the event branding.
We offered guests a selection of four halftone ink colors, and each attendee could choose two colors for us to screen print on top of each other on their tote bag. Because halftone dots interact visually when layered, each color combination created a completely unique pattern and color effect. To ensure the event branding remained prominent, the AIGA Shift logo was pre-printed on every tote bag before the event. Guests then customized their tote through the layered halftone prints, turning each bag into a one-of-a-kind piece of design.
It quickly became one of the most visually interesting live print techniques we’ve ever executed at an event, especially for an audience of designers who appreciated seeing a classic print method brought to life.
Once the tote bags ran out—a great sign of engagement—we shifted the activation to live monogramming. Attendees returned with their totes to personalize them with custom initials, adding another layer of individuality and keeping the creative momentum going throughout the event.
The Result
The activation became one of the most popular experiences at the symposium, drawing a steady line of attendees eager to experiment with color and print. Every tote bag produced a different layered halftone effect, meaning no two attendees left with the same item. This perfectly reflected the event’s theme of creative evolution and experimentation.
The experience delivered:
High attendee participation and engagement
Completely unique branded merchandise for every guest
A creative activation that aligned seamlessly with the Shift event theme
An opportunity for designers to interact with and explore a print technique they often only see digitally
By combining design choice, craft, and personalization, the activation transformed a simple tote bag into a collaborative creative piece—and gave attendees a memorable way to take part in the spirit of the Shift Symposium.
