The brief
Niekée asked to design an open day poster, flyer and brochure. It was important that attention was paid to the 4 pre-vocational secondary education profiles that you can choose at Niekée. The idea to divide the poster into 4 parts was therefore quickly made. Below I explain how the design came about.
The concept
The poster is divided into 4 strips that overlap at the bottom and are next to each other at the top. This symbolizes that you can try out a little bit of each department at Niekée in the first years, you don't have to make a choice yet. Gradually you choose a direction. Each direction has its own mascot to make it clear that there are four different fields of study.
The dog
The dog has teeth like a saw or perhaps a metal cutter to represent Niekée's technology department (the Production, Installation and Energy department (PIE). Here you work with your hands. You learn about installation technology, electrical engineering and metal technology. The dog may be the toughest of the four.
The dragon
The dragon is a fantasy animal. Because the students in the Media, Design and ICT (MVI) department have a lively imagination and are very creative. They are the students with their heads in the clouds, the daydreamers. Nothing is too crazy for them. So why not a dragon? Who says dragons don't exist?
The snake
The snake is a symbol that we know from the medical world, for example doctors and pharmacists often use it in their logos. We associate the snake with danger and deadly poison. However, in ancient Greece the snake stood on the staff of Asclepius: the Greek demigod of medicine. According to mythology, he was able to restore health to the sick and bring the dead back to life. Naturally, the snake on this poster also symbolizes the Care and Welfare (Z&W) department. Nothing scary about that!
The bird
The Catering, Bakery and Recreation department is perhaps the most versatile. Horeca is the abbreviation for hotel, restaurant, cafe. Recreation stands for all activities that take place in free time with the aim of relaxation. And then you also have the Bakery section. That's quite a bit to bring down to 1 symbol. I chose a bird. The bird symbolizes food: meat and eggs. But also for freedom, often depicted in a pigeon. Not to mention the warmth and security of a bird's nest.
Implementing the design
To keep the design playful, these mascots can also be used separately in the design of other media expressions for Niekée. The combination of color use, simple shapes, the mascots and the division into 4 areas ensures a recognizable style.
