IPAC was created at Truman State University in 2010. Not until 2012 did they start doing major public events. I was lucky enough to be the artistic vision behind the organization's birth as a founding Artistic Director. Freak Week came around my senior year. Fresh off of a semester with a successful haunted house in Haunted Baldwin, and several student produced projects, IPAC wanted to sponsor an event that was more than a one-off (like our flash mobs) or a run of performances. We wanted to influence the campus's culture and create a week long event for students who were NOT part of Greek societies. That's the heart of Freak Week.
Events for the week included: spontaneous public performances of stage fights (Einstein vs. Shakespeare, Skywalker vs. Potter, etc.), A Modern Vaudeville Show, a re-purposing sale, giant canvas open for contributions on the quad, and a charity improv/drag show.
Wes Harbison had been IPAC's resident designer for the 2011-2012 school year. He provided these options as a springboard for the week's branding. Company Director Casey Scoggins and I decided not to lean into the chaotic and wild notions that "Freak Week" conjures up. The concept posits that nerds, geeks, fanboys, and introverts deserve the same celebration that a frat gets. So we took a 'less is more' approach to the design. To get people to identify as freaks like us, we blazed a path of modesty. So we went with option #1.
Coming back to these following designs, I had forgotten about how striking the one on the left is. The color and style of one were a wonderful display of our targeted kitschy, indie modesty. But ultimately, an image of a person would display the nature of the project more clearly.
Ultimately, we chose the best qualities from each version. Beyond the overall week, branding was also needed for Modville, Upcycle, and Tag in Drag. I Art Directed all of these brands, and personally designed the art for the charity event: Tag in Drag.
Freak Week is a brand that IPAC uses at Truman State University to this day. I'm honored to have pioneered something that stuck.