Memorable, world-class graphics are exactly what 99designs by Vistaprint is all about. No stranger to standout logos, bold imagery, and all the other design elements that separate a brand from the rest, the company brought that expertise to this year’s ComplexLand 2.0.
As part of the virtual three-day event, 99designs by Vistaprint teamed up with a celebrity committee that included Killer Mike, Melody Ehsani, and Louis De Guzman to provide fresh creative direction for five small businesses. Heatstroke Hotel, Kids of Immigrants, Little Giants, Palette Pots, and Poured Candle Bar not only had a star-studded panel by their side, but they also had access to 99designs by Vistaprint’s global community of designers. In the weeks leading into ComplexLand, each business collaborated with these creatives to reimagine their branding for the event.
With all these creatives working together, the results were magic. Incorporating their new logo into their product design and packaging, each of the small businesses were able to attract new customers and ultimately build brand awareness. “My favorite part about participating in ComplexLand was having the opportunity to create and introduce a new and exclusive product to the market,” says Palette Pots founder Latrice Thompson. “This experience meant a lot to me, and I’m grateful I was able to get advice from the host committee, which can be a rare opportunity.”
Beyond the brand makeover and custom logo, the businesses really shined through the limited-edition merch they sold at the 99th Street section of ComplexLand. “ComplexLand was our first experience producing products with local suppliers in Indonesia,” Heatstroke Hotel masterminds Yok & Sheryo collectively shared. “Since we reside in Indonesia, we’ve found that we want to explore producing more fun and weird items from local suppliers and really tell that story through the brand.”
Another added bonus for the business owners was the overall exposure that came from being featured within the 99th Street activation. “Having access to so many resources was inspiring and we can’t wait to see what the future could hold for our e-commerce division and potential collaborations,” says Poured Candle Bar founder Dennis Green. “We are thankful to have had this opportunity as a newly-launched business.”
Moving forward, not being afraid to step outside of the box and trusting enhanced design processes is an example these creators will now live by. “I’m not gonna front, when we were initially selected and presented with the timeframe, I didn’t think that we’d be able to pull it off,” confesses Little Giants owner Ivan Rivera. “But when we got with 99designs by Vistaprint and went through that process, it allowed us to experiment in ways we’ve always wanted to. It also opened up our eyes to the ability to use external design resources in our workflow.”
The best part of it all is that this collaboration is the gift that will keep on giving. These design lessons and aha moments won’t just stop at ComplexLand. While some items sold out during the virtual gathering, a few exclusives from the 99designs by Vistaprint collaboration—such as the glossy planters from Palette Pots’ Odayr Art Collection and Heatstroke Hotel’s one-of-a-kind White Tiger Tufted Rug—are available for a limited run on the brands’ respective websites. Coming off of ComplexLand, all the founders are fired up and ready to help other small businesses succeed like they did. Kids of Immigrants co-founder Daniel Buezo simply put it as: “In the same way 99designs by Vistaprint supported us, we’re able to support others.”
Click here to read more about all of the small businesses that were featured during ComplexLand
