THE CHALLENGE
To create a printed running route guide of an event where a majority of the UK audience would not have experience of the race format. There was a lot of information to present in a limited space, so careful placement and hierarchy was needed to guide readers around it, all with a sprinkling of Japanese traditional approaches to Ekiden route maps within an existing client brand.
SOLUTION 1: Visualising the running route
This was a balance of accurate portrayal of the route geography, to an appropriate level of information to the mixed audiences. We took the base GPX data of the route and overlaid on a map, including highlighted pullouts for handover points where more information was required. To enable a bespoke brand aesthetic at different scales, the route lines had to be manually drawn over the base maps.
SOLUTION 2: User-centric information
Because of the unique format of an Ekiden running race, where participants were likely to be only interested in the ‘leg’ they were running, we created a series of mini-map leg schematics. These simplified maps were designed at the same scale for easy comparison, and contained all the information an individual runner would need. We knew they would not be referred to during the race, so just highlighted key geographic elements for pre-race analysis, such as handover points, elevation and potential hazards.
SOLUTION 3: A cohesive design
A range of communication materials already existed when we joined the Ekiden project halfway through. We carefully reviewed these assets, particularly the website, to determine the colour palette, typography, and layout grids for the map. To enhance and distinguish key information, we introduced a couple of additional colours, drawing inspiration from the physical race signage. These were used thoughtfully to ensure they complemented the existing branding. The result is a cohesive publication that sits comfortably alongside the existing graphic and UK Ekiden marketing materials.
“As soon as we shared the Route Guide to the participants at the briefings, people started to comment how the race was clearly very professionally organised. I think the superb Route Guide design helped convey how much work and preparation had gone into the race itself, as well as being a clear and concise way of giving people the information they needed.”
Anna Dingley, Founder of UK Ekiden
To deep dive into the full story for this project, please see our Interpreting Japan’s Ekiden Tradition for a UK Audience blog.
