2024 AGDA MERIT AWARD x 2
BRAND STRATEGY | IDENTITY | PRINT + DIGITAL ASSETS | COPYWRITING | SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT

UPSTAGE

A CYCLING WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT TO RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS FOR METASTATIC BREAST CANCER RESEARCH

Blending university work with a real client commission, this project involved creating a brand strategy, identity and a range of print and digital assets - including copywriting and social media content - to support a ground-breaking world record attempt.

In 2023, Melbourne/Naarm-based cyclist Sadie Fitton attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the most elevation climbed on a bicycle in 24 hours. After a strong start, she called it a day at the 10,000m mark, vowing to be back. Just six weeks later, she was diagnosed with metastatic (Stage 4) breast cancer.
Responding well to treatment, Sadie set her sights on a second attempt. Alongside aiming for the record, she launched UpStage to raise awareness and research funds for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre - appointing me to help bring the project to life.
Working closely with Sadie, I developed a campaign rooted in place, purpose and resilience. Drawing on the symbolism of One Tree Hill in Ararat/Tallarambooroo - the site of the attempt - the identity reflects both the physical challenge of the record attempt and emotional journey Sadie’s diagnosis.

THE PROCESS

DEVELOPING THE LOGO

From the start, we knew the logo needed to feel purposeful and strong. I sketched early ideas that played with slope, symmetry and hidden meaning. A rubbing taken from a rough asphalt surface reminiscent of One Tree Hill became a key texture, echoing the appearance of metastatic breast cancer on a PET scan.
FINAL LOGO AND HIDDEN ICON

The final logo captures both the ups and downs of Sadie’s journey - from the physical demands of the climb to the emotional experience of diagnosis. The central ‘T’ forms a subtle upward arrow, reflecting drive and determination. The logomark also resembles a superhero shield - quietly referencing Sadie’s strength of character.
INSPIRED BY ONE TREE HILL

The colour palette is drawn from the landscape surrounding One Tree Hill -sunrise oranges and reds, twilight purples and the cool blues of distant Grampians/Gariwerd. Together, they reflect the 24-hour nature and location of the record attempt.
HAND-CRAFTED PATTERNS

Hand-crafted patterns and topographic lines from One Tree Hill itself feature throughout the identity. I collected fallen gum leaves from the banks of the Yarra/Birrarung near Sadie’s home, scanned and arranged them into a repeating pattern - echoing the resilience of eucalypts which often need fire and hardship to thrive.
HAND-FORGED CHARACTER FONT

This custom character font was inspired by the hand-forged signs I made for Sadie’s first record attempt. Paired with Roboto Black and Space Mono, this character font forms a key part of the visual identity.
UPSTAGE TOOLKIT

I created a brand toolkit covering the logo and icon, colour palette, typography and patterns as well as key messaging and tone of voice. This ensured the identity was applied consistently across all print and digital touchpoints.