Project Overview
Event branding for Royal Holloway's student party: House Party
For my final interview stage with the Royal Holloway University Students' Union, I was asked to create a branded design concept for their Welcome Week event, House Party.
I responded with a playful, bratty Gen Z campaign that taps into the full student experience — from pre-drinks to club chaos to the 4am walk home.
Deliverables:
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Full campaign concept
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Instagram feed & story assets
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Event poster
This wasn't just about one night out — it was about building a whole mood, a lifestyle, and a community buzz
The inspiration
Unapologetically Gen Z. No over-polished brand speak — just messy, chaotic, uni themed fun that students actually relate to. House parties and university are heavily romanciticised in pop culture for being places where anything can happen and everlasting memories are made.
I wanted to make students feel like they are main characters in their own coming of age movie.
2010s pop music
Movies (Superbad, Project X)
Flash photos
Doodles + written notes
Red cups + party culture
Final designs
Promotion poster
Why this works
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The corkboard format leans into uni nostalgia — a shared kitchen where chaos brews (because every flatmate has lost something in a shared house at some point), and where memories are made
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The polaroids, handwriting, torn paper, doodles and stickers feel stolen from someone’s bedroom wall, as if this event was made by students and not a university SU
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Designed to trigger nostalgia and FOMO
Instagram grid post
A stripped-down, Insta-optimized version of the poster — designed to be readable, shareable, and clean in-feed.
Why this works
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Visual consistency with the corkboard theme
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Easy to digest at a scroll
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Adds professionalism without losing personality
Vibe schedule: Instagram post
A lecture-style class schedule poster listing what to ‘study’ (a.k.a. expect). Sets the tone and outlines the experience whilst leaning into student humour.
Why this works
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Feels familiar to students but flipped
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Clears up party expectations without being boring
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Makes event prep feel like part of the fun
Instagram 24 hour countdown
A 24-hour countdown story featuring polaroid photos with yearbook-style titles like Best Twerker, Biggest ABBA Fans, etc.
Why this works
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Triggers FOMO and core memory vibes
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Makes the party feel like a movie you want to be in
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Turns attendees into legends before the night even starts
Instagram story: 10 day Spotify countdown
A “10 Days to Go” music drop — a curated throwback playlist where 3 songs are added daily on RHSU’s Instagram.
Why this works
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Adds exclusivity — only accessible via RHSU
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Sets the party tone in advance
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Builds a daily reason to re-engage and share
Insta story: last minute tickets
A fake groupchat convo between students spills the tea on what really happened at the last house party.
It ends with a bold call-to-action:
"Your party era is calling. Don’t leave it on read."
Why this works
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Mimics content style Gen Z consume daily
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Increases urgency without sounding salesy
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Makes the CTA feel like an inside joke, not a command
Instagram grid post
A house party-themed “choose your character” meme post with fun archetypes like The Nicotine Philosopher who thinks he’s not like other boys because he has a tote bag or The Instagram Baddie who stands in the corner taking selfies all night.
Each legend is based on a familiar student trope and presented as a fake Student ID for extra aesthetic consistency.
Why this works
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Highly shareable & engaging
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Feeds into party mythology
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Potential for IRL merch (stickers/ ID cards)
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Free lockscreen
This isn’t just a lockscreen — it’s a status symbol.
A brat-coded, House Party exclusive, downloadable item for the chronically online and iconic.
Why this works
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Gen Z humour
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Pre-drinks club exclusivity
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Brat energy - already popular
Dear DJ: Instagram post
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A fake, funny apology letter from a fictional partygoer at the last event — calling out silly antics and chaotic fun.
Why this works
Informative about expected vibes and music without being boring
The response
The team at Royal Holloway praised the campaign as:
“We especially loved how you considered the complete student journey and lifestyle within your concept.”
"Genuinely impressive, beautifully executed, thoughtful, and full of personality.”