A Whole Lotta Happy
I have to admit, I have a not so secret love affair with the N.C. State Fair. Usually I can contain my excitement till about September when it is time to start planning and preparing for the N.C. State Fair baking competitions. But recently I had a reason to get excited early when the N.C. State Fair released the 2009 theme and design “A Whole Lotta Happy”, and it made me a whole lotta happy!
What was your inspiration for the 2009 theme and design?
This year’s N.C. State Fair theme is “A Whole Lotta Happy.” As we discussed various ideas, we kept coming back to all the things you can see and do at the State Fair and the fact that the product we are promoting ends up creating happy memories and family traditions while celebrating the things that make our state unique. So the message, “A Whole Lotta Happy” seemed a good fit. With agriculture being a big part of the State Fair, the canning jar and vintage feel of the letterpress-style poster offers a suggestion of reconnecting to our roots. The Fair has been our yearly gathering place; it’s a chance for us to communicate, share and take pride in our community. The Fair has been a constant in our changing world, and it’s a way to enjoy quality time with family, friends and connect with the community. We hope the artwork suggests something that is hand-crafted, nostalgic and a little whimsical.
- Amanda Meares, Graphic Designer for the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
How do you define good design? And, how important is it to an event like the N.C. State Fair?
I find a design to be successful if it clearly communicates all the “need-to-know” information, emphasizes the message, takes context into account and looks good doing it. For an event such as the N.C. State Fair, the design that is seen, used and experienced truly matters. We encounter so many messages in our daily lives that we have become somewhat numb to the noise, making us more difficult to reach. Our time and attention are valuable and are acquired at a premium. A good design needs to make us want to stop and look. We have become a more sophisticated audience when it comes to design; we want an attractive package for the information. Technology is also a big factor. We are speaking to a large, diverse audience who receives information through more media outlets than ever before. A good design communicates the message just as clearly via Twitter as it does in the Sunday newspaper. We hope this year’s theme and design will encourage people to take advantage of a great value and join us for the 2009 N.C. State Fair.
- Amanda Meares, Graphic Designer for the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Is there anything new and exciting we can expect at the fair this year?
One of the exciting things about the Fair is there are hundreds of people involved who contribute new components each year. Food vendors serve up new deep fried creations, competitors enter amazing crafts, cakes and photographs, and the carnival rides keep getting taller, faster and more thrilling. We’ll announce more of these new and exciting things like the concert line-up, unusual foodie favorite, and the new rides from Powers Great American Midways as we get closer to October 15. Here are some of the things we can announce right now: Visitors can expect an unlimited pay-one-price ride night only on Thursday, October 15; new free-roving entertainment acts like Steve Trash’s “Green” Magic Show; more elbow room as we construct our campground and relocate many trucks and trailers off the main campus; and an expanded focus on recycling materials like cardboard, fryer oil, and food waste. Some of the most frequently asked questions we get are about the concert performers (to be announced in July) and when advance tickets will go on sale (August 1). Both of these topics (and much more!) will be highlighted on our 2009 N.C. State Fair Web site (www.ncstatefair.org), which will be unveiled in June, and our Deep Fried blog (http://info.ncagr.com/DeepFried).
- Natalie Alford, Public Information Officer at the N.C. State Fair
Your top five fair foods?
We took a survey in the Fair’s press office, and here are our top contenders:
- Wisconsin Fried Cheese
- Deep Fried Oreos
- Mini Donuts
- Butcher Boys Steak and Cheese Sandwich
- Roasted Corn
Comments
Pretty interesting that this is pretty much the exact design the Anoroc Agency did for Hideaway BBQ posters,and other collateral when Hideaway was still in business a year or so ago. Same brand colors, textures, fonts, star burst background - In fact there is little to no difference. Think they won an ADDY for the design work. That’s where I remember it from. IS that where you got your idea?
Thanks again to Tanya for the blog post on our design.
We just printed a run of 500 posters that we’re going to use as giveaways on our Facebook (www.facebook.com/ncstatefair), Twitter (www.twitter.com/ncstatefair) and blog (www.ncstatefair.org/blog) pages. Closer to the Fair we’ll also have them available for pickup at the fairgrounds and possibly around the Triangle at area businesses.
Erin, Garrett and Crystal Daly, Lisa Ma and Maggie at Eat, Drink, Marry, since you liked the prints, e-mail me your address at karlie.justus@ncagr.gov and we’ll get you posters of your own.
LOVE the designs. Great work!