ISHLT Boston

In 2008, the ISHLT event was in Boston, and XDx‘s theme was “Look Forward to Freedom,” which referred to the life-changing freedom that patients who used AlloMap™ to monitor their heart transplant health would experience.

Previously, post-transplant patients had to undergo multiple painful and risky heart biopsies to determine graft quiescence, which transplant recipients did not favor. AlloMap changed this by offering a solution that determined graft health through a genomic test of the patient’s blood. The idea of looking forward alluded to both the patient perspective and the advanced nature of the technology.

Boston is one of the most famous colonial towns in U.S. history and has a rich cultural heritage from this period. One of the ways to experience colonial Boston is by walking the Freedom Trail which is a route composed of 16 historic sites from the American Revolution. Maps are sold locally to visitors, which guide them on their walks, and each site is marked with a distinctive bronze seal commemorating its historical significance along the trail. We took the design of this seal and adapted it into a custom graphic with XDx branding and the theme “Look Forward to Freedom” boldly emblazoned. This graphic was used throughout the marketing communication for this event.

An event program was developed that listed the schedule for the multiple-day show and all of the XDx presentations. Based on this essential information, we created a map of historic Boston showing the Freedom Trail and all of its historic sites. This map/program was printed on uncoated stock in the style of aged parchment and featured historical etchings from the period and vintage typography.

We then designed a sleeve for the map/program from heavy stock simulating old leather adorned with the bronze event seal and mailing information. Embossing and varnish were utilized to make this look and feel real. The map/program was folded and slid inside this sleeve and was mailed to prospective conference attendees. Additional show pieces were developed in this style, including a VIP dining invitation and keynote speaker agendas. These materials generated tremendous interest and resulted in an exponential increase in traffic and attendance at XDx presentations.

Client: XDx (now CareDx)

Services: Branding, graphic design, events, signage