Brand Identity
Challenge: design a new exhibit for an auto show, keeping in line with our company’s brand identity
Type: team project, guided by professional firm
Duration: 9 weeks
Tools used: pen/paper, foamcore and chipboard, SketchUp, Keyshot,
Porsche designers have jokingly been called “the laziest engineers in the world.”
For this project, we partnered with Czarnowski, an exhibition design group that works with many high-end companies. Some of their clients include Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche. My group got Porsche, and our prompt was to launch the new 2016 718 Boxster and to tie it back to the original 718 RSK.
Brand Research
A car’s engine can usually be removed and worked on by descending out from below the car. But a Porsche's engine cannot be removed so easily, and requires special tools. The company takes great pride in the heart of their cars, and won’t allow just anyone to tamper with them.
As luck would have it, Porsche had recently opened up a sub-HQ and Experience Center near the Atlanta airport. My group and I made several visits during the project. We got a tour of the museum, and a behind the scenes look at their design offices. We learned a lot about the pride these employees take in their work, and the rich history of the brand.
Brand Feedback
When we presented our first sketches to a representative, we got some fantastic insider feedback. For example; the white blade motif. We had noticed its presence in our initial research, and included it in our concepts. But in our sketches we had placed the Porsche emblem in the white spade. The rep told us Porsche never designs anything obstructing the blade.
The silhouette of a Porsche has barely changed over the decades since its inception. Given such a brand, our group found it difficult to design an exciting new exhibit while also keeping with Porsche’s minimalist nature.
The final design kept the white blade typical of Porsche’s exhibits and includes a VIP area on the upper level. We also incorporated a racetrack-like back wall to showcase the car’s history. The path begins to the right, with the original RSK suspended at knee height. The visitor walks down the stage to see historic racing videos projected on the back wall, passes another race car mounted on the wall, and then the stage opens up to reveal the 718 Boxster.
Presenting to Porsche
Once the project was finished, we returned again to our contact at Porsche. We were excited and proud to show her what we’d designed. It felt like a real client presentation, and we were so grateful to the reps for providing us with resources, feedback, and encouragement throughout the process.