Website Design
Overview
Navigating Change served as the theme for the Carolinas Healthcare PR & Marketing Society’s 51st Annual Conference, held November 20–22, 2024, in Charleston, South Carolina. The event brought together healthcare marketing and communications professionals from across the Southeast for 2.5 days of education, inspiration, and connection.
With more than 150 attendees the previous year and expectations for continued growth, the conference required a visual identity that could unify promotion, on-site experience, and awards programming. The branding needed to feel professional, engaging, and relevant to the challenges healthcare communicators face today.
Event Branding
The Challenge
The primary challenge was to create a conference identity that resonated with a highly specialized audience navigating constant change within the healthcare industry. The theme needed to feel timely and forward-looking while remaining approachable.
In addition, the branding had to support many applications. These included event promotion, social media, presentation decks, and awards recognition. Each element needed to feel cohesive while still adapting easily across platforms and moments throughout the conference.
Event Promotion Social Graphics
Registration Promotion Social Graphics
The Approach
Because the conference took place in Charleston—a coastal city with a strong maritime identity—we grounded Navigating Change in a nautical theme. This provided a clear visual metaphor for leadership, movement, and direction during periods of change.
The identity paired a watercolor treatment with nautical elements and ink-style illustrations of maritime creatures and objects. Together, these details added texture and depth while reinforcing both the theme and the location.
The system extended across all conference touchpoints. Social graphics supported promotion and registration, presentation deck templates created consistency across sessions, and on-site materials enhanced the attendee experience. A dedicated visual treatment was also developed for the Wallie and Golden Tusk Awards, presented during the semi-formal awards dinner honoring excellence in healthcare marketing and public relations.
Throughout the process, the focus remained on clarity and usability. This ensured the branding supported both the content and the community gathered around it.
Wallie Awards Branding
Wallie Awards
Call for Entries Social Graphics
Event Photos
The Result
Navigating Change launched with a cohesive and recognizable visual identity that supported the conference from early promotion through on-site execution. The watercolor and nautical design language established a strong sense of place while reinforcing the conference’s central message.
As a result, the branding contributed to a polished and engaging experience for attendees, speakers, and award recipients. The work was recognized with a Silver ADDY at the 2025 AAF Midlands American Advertising Awards, acknowledging the strength and effectiveness of the conference branding.
The conference ultimately fostered connection and momentum, leaving healthcare marketing professionals feeling informed, inspired, and prepared to navigate the changes facing their organizations.
