Illustrated VIP Visitor's and Guest's Wayfinding Map

A New Location for a Returning Client

Artist, Illustrator: John Potter - Escape Key Graphics
Client: Global Marine Travel
Project management by Julia Russell

This was my second year creating a map for Global Marine Travel to promote The Oasis Lounge at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The Oasis Lounge serves as the Official Hospitality Lounge for Superyacht Captains and Crew, offering gourmet boxed lunches, a fully stocked bar, live music, Wi Fi, and streaming of live sports. For the 2019 show, the lounge moved from its previous location at the Swimming Hall of Fame to the Superyacht Village at Pier Sixty Six South.

Building on the Previous Year

The map you see here is the 2019 update to the work I did for them the year before. The location changed, so the map had to change with it. But the approach stayed the same. I used a three dimensional digital model of the show grounds that I maintain for all the official FLIBS maps, rendered it from an angle that worked for their specific needs, and added custom branding and labeling.

How This Map Was Made

As you may know, I create the official maps for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and most other major boat shows in the United States. All of those maps are based on three dimensional digital models of each venue. I keep these models on file and update them annually with new dock layouts, exhibitor locations, and supporting information.

The same methods I use for the official maps can also produce zoomed in views of specific areas or renderings from completely different angles. That means I can create a highly customized map with your own branding, tailored to your specific marketing and wayfinding goals. That is exactly what this map represents. A customized, personalized, branded piece designed for one client's unique needs.

Here is the final product. I only illustrated the map part of this brochure. I don't know who did design, but I really like it.

For this project, Global Marine Travel wanted their area of the boat show shown from a different perspective than the main map uses. I added custom styling, labeled everything for their audience, and included surrounding context that no longer appears on the official show map. The result is a map that serves their guests and no one else's.

What the Final Product Looked Like

I only illustrated the map portion of this piece. The full brochure design was handled by someone else, and I have to say they did a beautiful job with it. The map fits seamlessly into the layout, and the whole thing works together as a polished, professional piece.

What I Can Provide You

If you need a map showing the location of your booth, dock, or exhibit space at any of the shows I work on, contact me. A custom map can give you much more than just a zoomed in version of the main show map, although simple zoomed versions are also available if that is all you need. I can provide a different look and feel, render the venue from angles that highlight your space, and focus on exactly what matters to your clients.