ADDY FREAKSHOW ADDYs FREAKSHOW
AWARDS BRANDING

Making an Awards Show into a Freakshow

Way way wayyy back In 2003, it was Toolbox Studios’ turn to breathe some life back into the San Antonio Advertising Federation’s annual ADDY Awards. What resulted was Freakshow—a campy send-up of the advertising business that recast the ad industry’s most familiar characters as the human oddities of an old traveling circus sideshow.

It was one of my most favorite collaborations with the great Stan McElrath. His copywriting genius established the individual “freaks”: the Art Director with the Humongous Head, the Spineless Two-Faced Account Executive, the Bearded Copywriter and the Pinheaded Client demanding, “Make the logo bigger!” Together, we art-directed brilliant Texas illustrator Marc Burckhardt, whose hand-painted aesthetic gave the whole project its soul. Next I carefully distressed my type design to match Burckhardt’s craquelure illustrations. The the set of 4 oversized keepsake posters were hand-delivered to agencies all across town by paid talent dressed as circus performers.

From the poster series grew the design for the awards event itself, with circus-themed graphics, stilt walkers, snake handlers, a fire-eater flown in from Coney Island, and a giant illuminated marquee I designed and another built by hand. Texas actor Chuck Cureau emceed the event, dressed as a snake-oil barker.

The campaign won ADDY Best of Show and a Special Judges Award along with regional nods, and was later selected for inclusion in PRINT Magazine’s Regional Design Annual.