SUNDERLAND

BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend

01

The Objective

We were asked to deliver event branding and a number of bespoke branded spaces for BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend at Herrington Country Park, Sunderland.

With a large festival site, multiple stages and thousands of people moving around the park throughout the weekend, the branding needed to be bold, instantly recognisable and work consistently across a wide range of areas.

Alongside the main site branding, we were also tasked with creating dedicated spaces for press, interviews and social content, as well as photo opportunities that brought the Big Weekend identity to life around the site.

02

The Delivery

Our team worked across the site to produce, install and manage a wide range of branded elements, from large-scale stage features through to the finishing details in backstage and artist areas.

Site Branding

The Radio 1 identity was carried throughout Herrington Country Park, helping different areas of the festival feel connected while also providing practical signage and wayfinding.

Our delivery included:

  • Stage lightbox headers and LED displays
  • Bespoke directional and wayfinding totems
  • Branded barriers and crowd control areas
  • VIP, guest and backstage branding
  • Branded entrance areas
  • Artist dressing room branding, lighting and décor

Press & Social Spaces

Away from the main stages, we created dedicated areas for interviews, press activity and social content.

These spaces needed to look strong both in person and on camera, while giving the Radio 1 team a practical environment where they could capture content throughout the weekend.

We delivered:

  • A bespoke interview and social media set
  • Branded photo and interview backdrops
  • Set dressing and décor
  • Branding throughout the press and media areas

The finished spaces gave the Radio 1 team a recognisable Big Weekend backdrop for artist interviews, photography and content across its digital channels.

Photo Opportunities

We also produced large-scale branded photo installations around the festival site, designed to become part of the audience experience rather than simply additional signage.

Positioned in busy areas of the park, the installations gave festival-goers an opportunity to interact with the Big Weekend branding, take photos and share their experience across social media.

03

The Result

The finished site brought the Radio 1 Big Weekend identity into every part of the festival, from the main stages and audience areas through to press, social and backstage spaces.

With such a large site and a busy build schedule, careful planning and coordination were key. Our team remained on site throughout the build and live event, working alongside the BBC and wider event teams to make sure everything was installed correctly, maintained throughout the weekend and dealt with quickly if anything needed attention.

The result was a consistent and highly visible presence for Radio 1 across Herrington Country Park, with bespoke spaces and installations that worked for the live audience as well as the huge amount of content being created around the event.

Feedback from the BBC Radio 1 and Sunderland City Council teams was extremely positive, particularly around the quality of the finish, attention to detail and delivery across the site.

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