Born in the heart of Venice, California, this live stand-up comedy series embarked on a mission: to Elevate Everything.

From Santa Ana to NYC, The Super Dope Show left its mark on the nation's comedy scene during my stewardship.

As custodian of its essence, I injected vitality into the brand, transforming its logo and infusing a vibrant nostalgia aesthetic at every turn. Collaborating with Max Kestenbaum, the show's creator, we meticulously crafted pitch decks, merch, and a visual identity that screamed "Super Dope."

What began as a role in social media management swiftly evolved into a full-scale marketing strategy—email newsletters, Instagram engagement, a sleek landing page, Eventbrite mastery, and the tactile distribution of event posters. The results were palpable; The Super Dope Show rose above the comedy chaos and became a favorite in a saturated market.

This journey not only defined the show but marked the genesis of my design career. The evolution of The Super Dope Show's event posters, meticulously presented here, chronicles my design odyssey—each poster encapsulating the essence of our unforgettable comedy experience. Get ready to witness the infectious charm of The Super Dope Show in every pixel.

*Long Read*

The Super Dope Show holds a special place in my heart as it marks the beginning of my design career. When I first met Max, I was immediately captivated by his vision. It took only one long winded conversation, to change the course of both our lives along with the legacy that would become of this amateur comedy show trying to do something a little different. What had initially been an introduction to book his show at The Copper Door* turned into a synergetic partnership. One where our unique passions found common ground in the creation of a stand up comedy show that would quickly gain recognition despite an oversaturated market saying otherwise.

I remember on our call the momentum of my delight pick up as we aligned on the vision of the show atmosphere*, then on how the rollout plan would look, and finally - but most importantly, where the split between his anticipated ticket sales landed. I knew that would be the determining factor for the venue owners - not only because we were building an entirely new venue outdoors that would now require extra work to build out a stage, sound system for mics, and audience seating; but mostly because the customer base they catered to were loyal for a very different experience.

The stars aligned and for a first time event for the venue in a new-ish market for Max - the room, or rather street - was packed. I remember sitting in the back by myself, grinning ear to ear and taking pictures compulsively. I was elated by the moment. Though insignificant comparatively, it was a success intermittent so many obstacles for the events industry. We would shut down soon after for months, but in this moment, I could tell my team at N360 Group were feeling hopeful for the future after a length of time burdened with the opposite sentiment. I filled my phone with needless content and my notes app with one idea after the next. I wasn't thinking about where I fit in all of it - I just rejoiced in the confirmation of my gut feeling. Max's brain child was super dope in action. And since I convinced both Max (and myself) that The Super Dope Show was anything but online - I dove headfirst into my very first social media manager contract. We both had no idea what that actually meant either. All I knew is that I had what it took to unlock its true potential, and Max had no idea I was coming in blind until months later. Even with my fake it till I make it demeur, I underestimated the influence this $250/month side-hustle would be on my life. I was also naive to how a strong visual identity could effect brand recognition, like engagement on my social media calendar and ticket sales from our newly established email newsletter - I was working lightyears ahead of my own cognition of what I would mean to create a strong visual identity with my entire heart & soul. This would be foundational for my career in design, but at the time, when it came to the ways in which the creation and revealing of The Super Dope Show's visual identity, my initial focus was on my need for content to match my social media marketing plan.

Faced with setbacks due to lackluster event posters from his current designer, clearly dispassionate and causing needless stress for me as I would hastily fix errors, or lineup changes, and more often than not just find myself recreating designs to match whatever my needs were to avoid any more delays or push back on their agreed upon fee... I eventually vocalized my desire to take matters into my own hands. Not in response to poster designs but perhaps as the designer at large. I remember it took Max a bit of convincing and time to consider a pivot - but he would finally give me a chance after I scraped together an alternate poster for our first out of state show together in Austin.

It sucked. But it still very clearly treaded a lot closer to the vision Max kept vibrant in his minds eye. In the months following, with increasing momentum, I soon became our slice of the stand up comedy circut's favorite little creative. I made my comedians looks good. Really good. And I was designing from an authentic place because as much as Super Dope was Max's vision, it was the catalyst for me to harness creative abundance for myself. The Super Dope Show is the epitome of my soul, optimized for stand up comedy.

During this time I was struggling with social anxiety for the first time, but Super Dope allowed me to foster a new way to communicate and connect with people. My extroverted, empathetic senses evolved and manifested into a rediscovery of my purpose. Just as quickly, my projects began to pile from referrals alone - and organically actualized my awareness of the shift. I'm still catching up in this moment! Only now crafting this portfolio for your eyes with this intention. Under my care, Super Dope began to take shape as a well-recognized brand, employing vibrant color palettes, a 70s vibe, and psychedelic elements inspired by vintage film posters. It morphed into more than just your average live stand-up comedy show, stirring a parallel evololution into the embodiement of what defines a lifestyle brand, and eventually leading us to the collective decision to shorten the brand identity into Super Dope.

As the creative force behind the show, I actualized Max's dreams thru the articulation and amplification of the Super Dope story visually and narratively; creating compelling decks that took us from LA, to Austin, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and of course Santa Ana, while never having to settle on the brands original and pervading ethos. Every show commenced with the creation of an atmosphere that actualized glamour in the unlikeliest places, at an amateur comedy show with comedians who came to discover, and offered the nuisances of a palpable articulate evening - where we could decompress, continue laughing, and take part in a catilizm of food, preimier liquor, live music, and comedy's up-and-coming talent celebrating what it means to be and throw a Super Dope Show.

While Max and I parted ways for personal reasons having to do with things unrelated to our work together - the experience has left me with two enduring realizations.

Stand up comedians are the hardest working yet overwhelmingly underappreciated artists I've ever confronted personally. Across the board, I continue to be dumbfounded by the sadistic nature of the industry - knowing how little most comedians make, and how much time they give to being on stage. At open mics, hosted in any space, in front of anyone that will listen, workshopping jokes with no guarantee of laughter - not just at all, but consistently - and most of the time thinking the crowd sucked or your performance wasn't right - but still for whatever high it brings loving the fuck out of it.