Freeform Portland
Freeform Portland is a listener-supported, volunteer-run, non-profit community radio station in Portland, Oregon. It is entirely run by volunteers with a passion for music and radio as a means of expression. To help bring awareness of the newer station and its need for additional funding, members have been hosting live DJ nights around town at various establishments.
To help promote these events, we needed eye-catching graphics to help cut through the visual bombardment one is subjected to both online and out in the clubs. For the DJ Night at the No Fun bar, we wanted to convey the sense of joy good music brings to the party. Colorful illustrations of retro characters populate a swooshing world of vinyl magic.
A similar approach was taken for The Local Lounge who requested their hamburger special to be included. Here, midcentury-modern-inspired graphics were chosen in accordance with the bar’s established martini branding. The happy hour was tended by Fawn, hence the illustration and visual hook. Ganyoon came up with the tag, “Tasty Time” to give the recurring event a memorable title that dually worked to promote the food specials and the DJ’s taste in music.
In the aftermath of the Covid-19 outbreak, the DJ nights were sadly suspended. However, the station persisted with remote programming and virtual events. DJs at the station engaged in challenges each week where they would craft a 30-minute set based on a set theme. In the early days of community lockdown, those sets would be played back-to-back on Fridays. The Stir Crazy/Cabin Fever flyer was created to promote the first of these virtual events. An extreme close up of an anguished person was coupled with intensely vibrant colors to capture the pent-up feelings of being stuck inside for days without end.
The flyers were well received by other members of the Freeform Portland radio community. Digital assets were widely disseminated on multiple social media platforms and posters were tacked around town. The virtual challenge mixes were effective in increasing participation amongst volunteers and got folks more interested in listening to the station.
Of course, a non-profit radio station needs to raise money from time to time. To this effort, Ganyoon Graphics has also contributed artwork and collaborated with fellow volunteers to create gifts for listeners who generously donated. Featured on the site here is the limited-edition Speaker Mountain t-shirt offered during the Winter 2020 fundraiser. This was a collaboration with DJ UrbanHumanBeing providing the awesome design inspired by Brooklyn New York block parties where huge speakers were piled up to blast the jams. Ganyoon Graphics assisted with the illustration optimized for 1-color screen printing on t-shirts. Also featured are the Keep it Locked sticker and the Where Are We? poster which was a special premium item. This particular fundraiser was a rousing success and these items helped to make the financial goal possible.
For Freeform Portland’s 5th anniversary, a logo was needed to mark the special occasion. Drawing from the station’s earlier t-shirts and other promotional artwork, an updated graphic emerged. The FFP type was set on a tattered flag proudly mounted to a radio tower. Below, a crescent moon character completes the shape of the numeral “5” and flows into a fader. Beyond, a new day begins with the sun starting to rise over Mount Hood. Jagged elements implying electricity and one melding with a human hand, signifies the all-volunteer-run aspect of the station. This image was used throughout the year and appeared in the station’s zine, on web banners, buttons, and on numerous social media flyers.