Evolving Iconic Brands: What to Preserve, What to Push and What to Let Go
2026-09-28 09:30 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | LPK offices at Graphic Village, 4440 Creek Rd, Cincinnati, OH, 45242, United States
Design is a continuous push toward making things better, clearer, and more relevant. But in the pursuit of what’s next, it can be easy to lose the quirks, signals and stories that made a brand’s expression distinctive in the first place.
Drawing from LPK’s experience evolving iconic brands, we will explore the tension between preservation and progress: what equity is worth protecting, how far an identity can move before it stops feeling familiar, and how history can become creative material rather than a constraint. Along the way, we’ll reveal three hypothetical refreshes for iconic CPG brands, using each to spark discussion around what to preserve, what to amplify and how far is too far.
Event Collaborator:
LPK
Graphic Village

Packaging Beyond Print: Emotion, Experience & Emerging Trends
2026-09-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Grit & Pearl, 720 E Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45202, United States
Packaging is more than a container. It’s a brand’s most tangible touchpoint.
Join Grit & Pearl as we unpack the intersection of design, psychology and sensory experience that drives successful packaging design. Through hands-on discussion and comparative packaging examples, we will examine how leading brands build shelf presence and create packaging systems designed for long-term brand impact. We’ll also touch on some history that lead where we are today and what’s next for the packaging industry. Discover why the most impactful packaging goes far beyond printed design.
Event Sponsor:
Grit & Pearl

Curious Connections: A Morning of Unexpected Encounters
2026-09-29 09:00 - 10:30 | University of CIncinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45221, United States
What happens when you bring a room full of curious creative people together and give them permission to connect a little differently? We’re not entirely sure…and that’s kind of the point!

Leave your fun facts at home. Think more summer camp than corporate icebreaker. Come ready to move around, make a secret handshake with a stranger, discover the room’s reigning typeface trivia champ, and follow a conversation somewhere unexpected. We may not have chairs. We definitely won’t have traditional networking.

Come curious. See what happens.
Event Sponsor:
University of Cincinnati

Headshot & Bio Workshop
2026-09-29 12:00 - 14:00 | Xavier University Alumni Building, 1507 Dana Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45207, United States
How long has it been since you’ve updated your LinkedIn profile or written a new bio for your website? Yep, too long. Visit Xavier University’s beautiful campus (with accessible parking!) for a professional headshot and a short, guided course about crafting a bio that represents you.
Event Collaborator:
Xavier University

Lightning Strikes: an Evening of PechaKucha Storytelling
2026-09-29 18:00 - 20:00 | SWELL Art Cafe, 2936 Colerain Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45225, United States
Pecha what!? PechaKucha!!! 20 slides, 20 seconds each. Super fun! Join us at Swell Art Cafe for a fast paced, highly visual evening of local designers, artists, and theatermakers telling creative stories of all kinds.

Who’s the Expert Here? Curiosity Across a Creative Life
2026-09-30 12:00 - 14:00 | University of CIncinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45221, United States
What if curiosity isn’t simply how we begin a creative career, but how we sustain one?
Bringing together a current co-op student, educator, practitioner/employer, and academic leader, this conversation offers perspectives from different points along a creative life. Together, we’ll challenge the idea that students are the learners while seasoned professionals have all the answers. We’ll explore how curiosity prompts us to take risks, change direction, reconsider what we know, and keep evolving throughout our careers.
Event Sponsor:
University of Cincinnati

Out of This World Product Design: CX at the Cincinnati Observatory
2026-09-30 19:00 - 20:30 | Cincinnati Observatory, 3489 Observatory Pl, Cincinnati, OH, 45208, United States
Join the Cincinnati design community for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at how one of the city’s most historic institutions builds unforgettable customer experiences.
How do you bridge the gap between a 180-year-old telescope and today’s modern audiences? The team at the Cincinnati Observatory is doing exactly that. In this session, we will explore the intersection of physical and digital product design, diving into how the Observatory masterfully connects historical preservation with cutting-edge user engagement.
From the architectural service design of a new building to the UX of a completely redesigned website and the interactive elements of their public programs, you will discover the omnichannel strategies used to inspire the next generation of curious minds.
Whether your focus is UX, digital product design, or holistic service design, this is a unique opportunity to see how legacy and innovation collide to create stellar user journeys.
In the last portion, you will get the opportunity to view the night sky at the Observatory, weather permitting.
In-kind Sponsor:
TekSystems

Event Collaborators:
IxDA Cincinnati
The Cincinnati Observatory

Utilizing Community Engagement
2026-10-01 12:00 - 14:00 | MSA Design, 316 W 4th St, Cincinnati, OH, 45202, United States
This workshop focuses on the importance of giving the communities we serve a voice in the work that shapes their world. In this session, the MSA team will share how community voices shape the design process and influence solutions to key issues affecting the places where people live, work, learn, and gather.
Participants will have the opportunity to participate in actual engagement methods and exercises to solve real-world issues impacting their communities.
Event Sponsor:
MSA Design

Creative Club Fair
2026-10-02 17:30 - 19:30 | Baker Hunt, 620 Greenup St, Covington, KY, 41011, United States
This is an evening celebrating creativity & community, highlighting the many ways to stay creative outside of work! We will bring together a variety of local creative groups, clubs, and organizations for a school club fair–style event where attendees can discover new ways to get involved. Each group will have a table to showcase what they do, meet fellow creatives, and invite others to join their community.
Event Sponsor:
Madison

Event Collaborator:
Cov Creates
