In preparation for the RHS Shows in 2024, I designed volunteer name badge templates for each of the four shows. These templates were made to fit each show’s brand guidelines, and can be personalised with volunteer’s names.
I also designed a poster for the RHS Show Exhibitor team to promote their Code of Conduct for exhibitors. I created this in the All Shows brand, so that it could be saved and reused at all the 2024 shows.
To finish off 2023’s show season, I visited RHS Flower Show Tatton Park – the RHS’s northern show. The show is located within the picturesque grounds of Tatton Park, on the outskirts of Knutsford Village in Cheshire. After such changeable weather, I was lucky to attend on a beautiful, sunny day!
As with the other three shows, it was my responsibility to collate and record all our branded touchpoints at the show, from the entrance gates to flags, trade stands to catering venues. Our new RHS brand looked fantastic on site, particularly the vibrant green show medals for the award-winning gardens.
I collated the images into a comprehensive presentation to share with our shows, brand and design teams. Our feedback will be used to improve and refine the show next year to give our visitors the best experience and strengthen the identity and recognition of the RHS Brand.
It was a huge privilege to be able to attend all four RHS Shows this year. I am now looking forward to visiting the rest of the RHS Gardens, including Harlow Carr at the end of August.
In the second week of July, I attended two days of RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. I’d been to the show with my family several years ago, so it was exciting to visit again and see how it has changed.
Of all the RHS Shows, Hampton Court is my favourite. The festival atmosphere is more relaxed, and I found the show gardens full on inspiration for my garden at home. This year’s RHS Horticultural Hero was Carol Klein; she designed a stunning garden with views over the palace. Having watched her prepare on BBC Gardener’s World, it was a huge privilege to be able to see her garden almost empty, first thing in the morning on Press Day!
Before the show opening to the public, we ran a photoshoot with a group of professional models, to capture the essence of the show. In the weeks prior, I’d liaised with our model agency contacts to source and hire the models for the shoot. I created and shared a wardrobe brief, agenda and logistical information with my colleagues and the models, to make sure the photoshoot ran to schedule.
On the first official day of the festival, I was part of a small team assisting our photographer with capturing members of the general public enjoying the show. We scouted willing members of the public to be photographed, making sure we obtained everyone’s consent with model release forms.
While on site, I was also responsible for capturing and recording all our branded touchpoints at the show. Using my images, I created a comprehensive presentation to share with our shows, brand and design teams, gathering feedback and areas for improvement for each department.
To kick off the 2023 show season, I had the opportunity to visit RHS Malvern Spring Festival in the Midlands. It was my first time at the show, and I was impressed by its size and popularity, as well as its beautiful location at the foot of the Malvern Hills.
I spent a day at the showground conducting an extensive branding review. The festival is unique at the RHS; it has been run in partnership with the Three Counties since 1985. As part of the new RHS brand, Malvern Festival was given its own identity – the vibrant blue from the main brand, combined with its own unique master pattern and a rhododendron botanical. It was fantastic to see how impactful the new brand was onsite, and how cohesively all the assets worked together.
Following the show, I created a brand review to present back to the Brand and Shows Marketing teams. After collating our feedback, we’ll be sharing this presentation with the RHS Shows and Three Counties departments, recommending our improvements for 2024.
