Overview
For my husband Ben's 40th birthday, I wanted to do something truly memorable. So I did what any graphic designer would do: I spearheaded a full brand campaign for his surprise party, transforming my sister-in-law's house into a Costco Wholesale warehouse.
The concept: take Costco's real brand identity — their signage, their magazine, their employee badges — and systematically tweak every piece to incorporate Ben's name and likeness in the most cheeky, loving ways possible. Guests arrived to red aprons, employee badges with their own names, hot dogs and pizzas, and free samples throughout the house.
"What if a Costco warehouse had exactly one customer, and his name was Ben?"
Deliverables
Every touchpoint at the party was designed — from the moment guests walked in to the moment they left. All pieces were printed at large-format by me (with the exception of the Costco Connection magazine) and table/badge sizes to match actual Costco proportions.
Costco Connection Magazine
Downloaded a real PDF of Costco's monthly magazine and redesigned a full issue devoted entirely to Ben — articles, ads, crossword, and all. Had 50 copies professionally printed.
Employee Badges
Custom Costco-style employee badges created for every guest — a personalized keepsake (and instant costume).
Branded Signage Suite
Full set of Costco-format signs: "Customer of the Month," hours, no-merchandise policy, taste test stations, self-checkout — each subtly (or not-so-subtly) featuring Ben.
Birthday Posters
One huge "Happy Birthday, Ben" printed in Costco's visual language — large, bold, unmissable.
Holiday & Hours Signs
Costco-style info signs reworked to celebrate the occasion, printed at 11×16" and 13×19".
Greeting Card Mockup
A photorealistic greeting card mockup created as a keepsake, styled to look like an official Costco product.
Creative Process
I started by studying Costco's actual brand system — their typefaces, color palette (that classic Costco red and blue), sign formats, magazine layout conventions, and badge design. Getting the details right was everything: the party only works if guests do a double-take the moment they walk in.
Each piece required sourcing the right stock imagery and format, then making surgical edits to replace generic Costco content with hyper-personalized Ben content — his photo as "Customer of the Month," his likeness throughout the magazine, his name on every sign that would reasonably include a name.
The party was catered with actual Costco food: hot dogs and pizzas, plus free samples staged throughout the house on proper sample trays. Guests wore their printed red aprons and badges from the moment they arrived.
The Magazine
The centerpiece of the whole party. I found a digital copy of an actual Costco Connection issue online and rebuilt it cover to cover — replacing every article, ad, and feature with content about Ben. Family members submitted their own memories, anecdotes, and photos of him, which I carefully placed into the editorial layouts.
I also designed a crossword puzzle entirely from scratch, with clues only Ben's people would know. The "advertisers" in the magazine are products Ben actually buys from Costco every weekend, plus a few household legends — including a corn plant our family has had for over 20 years.
After completing the design, I worked with a local print shop to produce 50 professionally printed copies so it felt like the real deal when guests picked one up off the table.
Back to the beginning
Ready to Work