Trent Freshers

Services

Brand Identity
Illustration
Photography

The best week of your student life

For Trent Freshers 2021, we aimed to reintroduce the excitement of Freshers Week post-pandemic with a bold, vibrant brand. Building on the previous year’s design, we scaled up with a standout hero illustration that set the tone for everything—from the website to the merchandise. The result was a fresh, cohesive identity that positioned Nottingham Trent University as the biggest and most memorable Freshers' Week in the country.

Crafting the hero illustration

We began with several iterations, exploring different ideas in early sketches. Our initial meetings centred around a vibrant, playful style inspired by the Coachella festival—full of fun, weird, and nonsensical characters, all with subtle nods to Nottingham. The final hero image captured that energy and became the focal point of the campaign. It was versatile enough to be broken down into standalone pieces for social media, signage, badges, and other branded materials, creating a cohesive yet flexible identity across all platforms.

Inked and coloured hero composition.

Concept sketch drawn in Photoshop across multiple layers before being pulled into Illustrator for inking.

Capturing the full
Freshers' Week experience

While Freshers' Week is often associated with lively evening events, NTSU places a strong focus on daytime activities, from Freshers’ fairs to on-campus activation campaigns. With nighttime photography already covered, we made sure to capture the energy of these daytime moments as well. This approach highlighted the inclusivity of Trent's Freshers' Week, appealing to students who prefer a more laid-back experience. By promoting these daytime events, we ensured greater engagement with those who enjoy flying a little more under the radar.