Bulldog 100:
from event to event activation

Over six years, I’ve taken the lead in reshaping the visual and experiential design of the University of Georgia’s Bulldog 100 event, an annual celebration of the fastest growing businesses led by UGA alumni.

My role? Turn an event into a brand experience. From redesigning the promotional mark to creating an invitation that, quite literally, glows, I’ve infused each year’s event with fresh themes and a vibrant spirit, elevating it into something truly memorable for honorees and guests.

old Bulldog 100 mark

revised Bulldog 100 mark, 2019

The Process

My first step was a deep dive into the event’s past and gathering feedback to spot what was missing or falling flat. It was about understanding the Bulldog 100's essence and dreaming up a brand experience that could both honor tradition and resonate with today’s audience, setting a new standard for alumni celebrations.
Revamping began with a fresh take on the logo and developing a branding toolkit that could speak the new language of the Bulldog 100 across all channels. My strategy was about creating content that sparked excitement well before the event and ensuring every detail, from invites to on-site décor, was drenched in the event’s revamped ethos.
The result was a Bulldog 100 event reborn, marked by a consistent, vibrant brand experience that made every moment feel special and connected to the larger UGA legacy. Everything — from meticulously themed decor to the stadium lights shining red at just the right moment — was carefully chosen to mirror the renewed brand vision and make the night unforgettable.
This transformation sent waves of enthusiasm across our alumni community, significantly boosting engagement and brand visibility. The buzz it created on social media turned the event into not just a celebration but a spectacle that both attendees and honorees were eager to talk about, strengthening the bond within the UGA community and elevating the university’s image.
Since the redesign of the promotional mark, the website, and the event experience, Bulldog 100 saw increasingly higher traffic and engagement — higher than any other online push from alumni.uga.edu and its social platforms.
This experience taught me the unbeatable value of a cohesive brand vision and the magic of meticulous planning. Working closely with vendors, collaborative teammates, the venue, and my team, showed me that when everyone’s on the same page, extraordinary things can happen. It’s a lesson in the power of creative trust and attention to detail that I’ll carry into every project from here on out.

a moment in the process

After the redesign of the Bulldog 100 mark, I wanted to bring the rest of the event and its collateral into a new space. Higher education tends to stick with what they’re used to; they don’t want to mess with a good formula. After several years of safe, though, it was time to enter the future.

The revised wordmark ushered in a new wave of themes for each year of the event. In 2019, we covered everything in geometric shapes and patterns. It was chic and matched the energy in Atlanta that night.

In 2020, the theme was “neon” and utilized the brighter colors from the UGA brand’s color palette. Glory Glory, Lake Herrick, Hedges — those against the dark background of an evening event held in the West End Zone of Sanford Stadium — chef’s kiss! Below, you’ll find sketches of the invitation design concept and the final execution of an invitation that can only be read with an included blacklight.

Although the pandemic put a pause on the event occurring in-person, the opportunity in 2021 to bring the experience to honorees at home was a thrill. A viewfinder, field notes journals, a print program, custom pens, and plenty of UGA swag filled honorees mailboxes, along with a time-sensitive link to be a part of the countdown.

2022 was, by far, my favorite theme — cosmic and nebulas. It was an easy integration into the brand colors, and under the backdrop of a night in Athens and the red lights glowing bright in Sanford stadium. I mean…come on! The photos below show a glimpse into the night.