People and the Pandemic

What was the challenge?

One year after the announcement of the first lockdown in March 2020, vaccination centres began opening across the UK, signalling the next big milestone in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. Both King’s College London and Guy’s and St. Thomas’ hospital host vaccination centres in their central London grounds, but this is just the tip of the iceberg in their contribution to the global fight against COVID. In fact, members of the King’s College community have been actively involved in vaccination trials, conducting research and advising the NHS and government on vaccines. 

King’s College London asked us to help celebrate and bring awareness to the people on the ground who have carried the public through the pandemic, by bringing to life a range of different stories across campus and online that highlight the vital work that their staff, researchers and students have been involved with over the past year - from the academics exploring the toll of the pandemic on NHS staff and their mental health; to the pharmacy students volunteering to deliver vaccines; to frontline clinicians developing ways for loved ones to stay connected when in ICU.

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What did we do?

We created an outdoor gallery and audiovisual trail across various parts of the Campus that shared the powerful stories of twenty inspiring individuals and groups on the frontline, helping the public to connect the dots between science and the way it shapes and benefits our everyday lives. From developing an arresting visual concept that worked within the confines of the university branding, to crafting copy that sparked intrigue and offered a concise narrative, we worked to create visual installations that would resonate with audiences universally through their human focus and relevance to the present moment. 

Large scale visuals were designed and produced, covering the Science Gallery London windows and the London Bridge entrance to the campus, whilst smaller graphic elements were placed on pillars along the Colonnade that connects several parts of the university. We embedded QR codes in the graphics, each of which linked to a short podcast we created with one of the people or teams behind the stories. 

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What was the impact?

Our extensive experience in carrying out rapid research and delivering projects with a speedy turnaround meant that we were able to deliver People and the Pandemic all the way from initial concept to installation and wrap-up in under four weeks. We also created a wide range of social assets and website assets that were used to raise awareness of the installation by the University communications team. 

Since its installation in March 2021, People and the Pandemic has engaged the hundreds of thousands of visitors who have passed through the King’s College campus. The location of the exhibition and COVID-19 restrictions make it unique, in that it has been carefully designed to be experienced in a fleeting moment, as people pass by on their journey through the grounds.

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COLLABORATORS

Additional graphic design: Plan B

Photography: Jo Mieszkowski