Gobbles’ Free Range 5k is a virtual race taking place on and around Thanksgiving. It’s a fantastic virtual community event that marinades in all the things that make the holiday great. Runners across the country run their race and submit their times from the comfort of their own home; taking away the need for a physical start or finish line while keeping all the competition and race incentives that turn that tryptophan into trypto-fun!
To name and design a memorable Thanksgiving 5k race to be held 100% virtually. Standing apart from the average turkey trot was key from the starting line.
Friendly, custom character illustrations, eye-catching colors, and lively, kinetic typography helped to create a branded race experience that could really go the distance.
A catchy name, versatile branding, and humorous yet wearable apparel pieces that take joy in inciting a smile at every turn.
The race name itself needed to say a lot with just a few words; speaking to the Thanksgiving day as well as the virtual and traditional racing aspects of the event. After running through plenty of well-seasoned wordplay, we landed on a name that had the humor, creativity, and legibility to give this idea the legs it needed.
Extensive exploration lead us down many branching trails, but thankfully, we were able to have a lot of pun along the way. Our efforts and brainstorming yielded 286 name ideas, 115 race descriptors; ultimately culminating in our top 40 race names and 10 descriptors.
Character, style, and motion were all very important aspects of the scalability and legibility we wanted for this brand. Multiple character and illustration styles were also explored to help bring this bird to life. The final mark would need to live everywhere from tiny on a website to BIG on a sweater and still be a visual feast for the eyes.
A cozy yet modern color palette is used to feel reminiscent of the season and stand out from competitors, but ultimately to be worn. The bold type and lively illustrations also help to make the race and apparel a strong incentive for runners everywhere to flock to.
Color
Typography
Illustrations
The biggest component differentiating Gobbles from most mundane turkey trots is its character(s). Gobbles, Lil’ Gobbs, and the rest inject a lot of personality into the race. This makes it easier to identify with the characters and see yourself in the apparel. Taking this livelier approach to branding gives every design a humorous narrative you can really sink your teeth into.
The Race Day Tech Hoodie is a signature item designed to turn heads and wear well for runners everywhere looking to exercise their passion. Given turkeys aren’t typically known for their flight capabilities, the humorous “flightless crew” concept inspires a smile and introduces the characters in a fun and memorable way!
Giving proper attention to the details is really what makes a brand and a piece like this stand out. Print placement and size are planned early on in the process to best fit the space, brand, and conceptual goals for the apparel item. In this case, using a back hit as opposed to a chest hit makes the piece more wearable while exercising, less cluttered overall, and gives the event branding space to breath.
This hot apparel item is an optional add-on for some and a must-have for others. The bold-line illustration style lends itself very well to negative space. This helps to simplify the design and reduce the number of necessary ink colors to tell each story. Once again leaning on humor and wordplay throughout to create a memorably-branded item and experience people can’t wait to gobble up.
Apparel selection should be anything but a rushed effort. Sourcing quality apparel that fits the occasion and the person is always a priority. An active running fleece attracts a very different crowd than this sleepy crewneck sweater. By catering to racers of every pace we can give people the quality products they’re hungry for.
The pride of many challenges is their trophy and the medals for Gobbles don’t disappoint there. While the fun and quirky designs give you something to strive for, the functionality of the medal itself does more than keep pace with the design. A quick-release lanyard clasp and inset magnets give runners whole new ways to display their favorite race day memorabilia.
Smart branding, clever wordplay, and attractive apparel all came together to make Gobbles’ story a success and inspire runners everywhere to take to the skies as well as the streets!
