Calamity Jane Marketing Campaign for Queensland Theatre

A bold refresh of a beloved classic

With Calamity Jane boot-scooting back to the stage, Queensland Theatre asked Aruga to reimagine the show’s marketing and promotional collateral.

The goal? To align the creative more closely with the spirit of the production and drive strong ticket sales.

Aruga introduced a fresh visual direction anchored in new hero images, each more true to Calamity Jane’s character and tone. Layered with warm filters, texture and a touch of grit, the imagery brought a sense of place that felt both cinematic and lived-in. A custom title treatment in a Western-inspired typeface added charm and flair, paired with a border system and a complementary accent to hold it all together.

The creative rollout spanned digital, print and outdoor placements, including social content, YouTube ads, eDMs, billboards, press ads, and a 28-page printed program.

The result? A sold-out season, a standout look and a potent reminder of how smart design can help put bums on seats.

Deliverables

Visual Identity Direction

Selecting new hero imagery, a custom Western-style title treatment, and a reworked colour palette grounded the collateral in the world of the show.

Out of Home (OOH) Campaign

Developing airport displays, billboards and posters to increase visibility across the city, meeting theatre-goers where they live, commute and travel.

Digital Asset Suite

Designing YouTube ads, cast announcements, eDM headers and social formats to improve reach, clarity and consistency.

Print Program Design

Producing a 28-page program featuring director’s notes, cast bios, rehearsal imagery and sponsor placements as a high-quality memento for attendees.

Winning Tactics

Aruga refreshed typography and layout structure to let decorative headlines lead, while keeping supporting details legible and restrained.

Subtle overlays, grain and colour grading gave the hero imagery depth and helped evoke the dusty, theatrical charm of the show’s world.

A simple border device and complementary accent colour created structure across the suite of assets, making it easy to roll out at scale while keeping everything visually tied together.