ICNA Convention 2018

I trekked down to Baltimore, MD yesterday for the annual ICNA Convention. Its a weekend for the family – full of lectures, workshops, entertainment, and a huge bazaar. For me, ICNA has become a wonderful way to meet my long-distance clients, build new connections, and admire the bazaar. Back in 2015, I listed my favorite booths. 

This time around, there were a lot of cool, new organizations with awesome booth designs! I took quick snaps of my faves – those that made me do a double take. (Yup, that inspired the name of this award.) Honestly, each of these businesses and organizations definitely deserves an award for their excellence in marketing in design.

The world is a much more pleasant place with less Comic Sans and bland, off-white flyers.

*UPDATE*

The winners of the Double Take Awards are Reys Canvas & Jenna Masoud! With a whopping 165 likes, they won by a landslide. Congrats to the awesome artists!

Haqq App

Find a Halal place next to you with this handy app. What we loved: The clean, green minimal style and the much needed app.

Kaghaz Gallery

Beautiful, original artwork imported from Pakistan. What we loved: The paintings stood out amongst the crowd.

Penny Appeal USA

Nonprofit organization working to fight poverty. What we loved: Wonderful indoor delicate tent with lights and carpeted floor.

United Muslim Relief

Nonprofit organization working so everyone has a right to live free of poverty. What we loved: Popping pink with a clean, three-panel booth.

Mina Vitamins

High quality nutritional vitamins. What we loved: The catchy purple, expansive empty space, and free samples lured people in.

Reys Canvas & Jenna Masoud

Two awesome artists in one booth – acrylic art and photography. What we loved: The custom built wooden walls, the beautiful artwork, and soft lights gave a wonderfully, rustic feel.

Qalam Institute

An educational organization that inspires growth and spirituality. What we loved: The airy open-air booth style with comfy chairs and hanging lights invited passerby’s to come by .. and find out more about those free cookies.

Islam by Touch

Organization making Islam accessible to the blind community. What we loved: The simple, yet effective booth with a wonderful banner and a moving mission – providing Quran translations in braille to Mosques for free.

Pali Roots

Palestinian inspired products. What we loved: The hanging lightbulbs on the sign, wooden feel, and the products displayed easily caught eyes.

ICNA Relief USA

A non-profit charity focused on helping right here at home. What we loved: The open booth style with the super popular FREE photo booth!

Vote for the Winning Booth!

Now, I want YOU to vote. Which booth do YOU think deserves Dezign Surge’s Double Take Award for excellence in marketing and design? Vote on Instagram for your favorite! Deadline Fri April 6th, 2018