Blowing up the excitement at AAU Cross Country Nationals

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New year, new look.

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Track & Field division has worked with us since 2017 to get custom branded tents, table covers, and banners for various events across the country.

When it came time to plan for the 2019 Cross Country National Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee, AAU knew they wanted to add more dynamic, fun signage to really enhance the experience of the event for all runners and attendees.

Having loved their other custom branded items, they turned to our team to look over some options. What would be perfect for a championship tournament, and more fun and exciting than the typical pop-up tent?

From 2D to reality.

When AAU set up a time at the end of September 2019 to discuss their event needs with us, we decided to increase our partnership and come on as an official sponsor! 

A customized inflatable finish line arch would add a bright spotlight to the finish line that over 1,000 runners would pass through over the day. Added to the arch were removable banners on the legs to swap out different annual sponsors.

The arch also supported the 1st annual "Parents & Coaches Fun Run," and we also created one more very special accent piece for the event: a giant custom inflatable in the shape of the AAU Track & Field Logo.

Once the needed items had been confirmed, we set out to help design them, maximizing the stark contrast of the iconic red and blue colors of AAU's brand. The choice for the arch was a fun gradient with a unique twist on the AAU logo added in.

Down to the winner's circle.

Our service and production teams designed a 10' wide by 10' tall custom shape PVC inflatable, perfect for long-term use for years to come at both indoor and outdoor events.

In-depth and attentive artwork service was given to the custom inflatable, all the way from early drafts to the final proof design and conceptualized 3D models. This involved process ensured that the AAU staff would know what they were getting every step of the way.

"Everything with the design was just great and so easy," said Madison Evans, Sports Coordinator for AAU Track & Field.

The event was a huge hit with hundreds of more participants than the year before! The custom inflatable served as the perfect interactive event piece, with a consistent line of attendees waiting to take pictures in front of it throughout the day.

Below: Watch our video recap showcasing the highlights at the AAU XC National Championships!

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