Client
When
Category
AWARDS & RECOGINITION
IF DESIGN AWARD [GOLD]PR WEEK GLOBAL AWARDS [SHORTLIST]SABRE AWARDS [SHORTLIST]GYLLENDE HJULET [SHORTLIST]
Intro
Swedish trotting has shaped sport and everyday culture for generations, but its stories were beginning to fade from the public mind. AB Trav & Galopp wanted to find a way to reintroduce that heritage to a new audience without leaning on nostalgia. The brief asked for a way to make trotting feel current, relevant, and worth engaging with again.
Challange
The challenge was one of cultural translation. Trotting carries decades of language, ritual, and inside references that are immediately recognisable to those inside the sport, and almost invisible to those outside it. We needed an entry point that felt familiar enough to bring new audiences in, while staying true to the heritage we were trying to honour.
Process
Working with the cowboy archetype, currently having a strong moment in pop culture across music, fashion, and film, we built a visual and narrative bridge between Swedish trotting and a much wider cultural reference. My role was art director, designer and music producer leading the visual direction and animation alongside a team of specialists in PR, exhibition architecture, copy, and sound. We translated archival material and personal stories into a contemporary exhibition format, designed to feel both rooted in the sport and at home in modern visual culture.
Results
The exhibition reached an earned media audience of 22.6 million, generated 2.6 million in organic social reach, and welcomed 4,600 visitors over four days. After the success the show went on to tour Sweden at different trotting arenas nation wide. The work has since been recognised with an iF Design Award Gold among other awards and recognition.
