The Art of Transforming San Diego Comic-Con: Behind KAP Media's Iconic Building Wraps

When it comes to first impressions at San Diego Comic-Con, few things are as striking — or as eagerly anticipated — as the towering building wraps that transform the Gaslamp Quarter into a larger-than-life canvas of fandom. Each July, what were once hotel facades and empty walls become immersive murals celebrating everything from superheroes and queer vampires to animation and horror. And behind nearly all of that transformation is KAP Media, the creative force that’s helped make the Comic-Con skyline a living gallery over the last several years.

This year, they’re overseeing 22 different wraps across the Gaslamp, and if you’ve walked past the Omni, Pendry, Hilton Gaslamp, or Marriott Marquis in recent years, you’ve likely witnessed their work.

We spoke with KAP Media Founder and CEO Lori Brabant and Chief Marketing Officer Kelly Reynolds about what goes into wrapping the heart of San Diego for the biggest pop culture celebration of the year. “The building wraps have become synonymous with SDCC,” Brabant told us. “They are pieces of art that amplify the excitement of the show.” And with a team that swells from five to over 40 during the con — including installers, planners, printers, proofers, lighting technicians, and more — they work around the clock in the weeks leading up to Comic-Con to make sure every detail, down to the last color match and banner corner, is perfectly in place.

The Creative Process

You’re not just hanging banners — you’re helping bring these properties to life on a massive scale. How do you balance scale, visibility, and clarity in the creative?

Lori Brabant: We create a customized and detailed template for the brands to place the creative in, so that is where we start. From there, we work very closely with our production teams and creative teams to ensure the placement is correct within the template, as these are building and not flat billboards.

From Concept to Installation

Can you walk us through the process — from receiving the creative to the final installation? How long does it typically take?

Kelly Reynolds: We generally start receiving initial creative artwork in early May. We then work through an initial approval process with all of our venue partners and CCI. Once the initial art is approved, we continue to refine the art with the creative brand teams to key into the best placements, colors, and designs. We aim to have the final print-ready art by mid-June, and then we will begin the proofing process. Proofing includes placement and also color. Once proofs are approved, we proceed to print, utilizing multiple printers and facilities. Printing and prep take weeks as the team prints, but also preps the layouts and install plans at this stage. Finally, we get the art to San Diego with our best in the business installers, and we start our 10 days of installation.

Logistical Challenges

What are some of the biggest logistical challenges when wrapping a building, especially in a busy downtown area?

Lori Brabant: We work very hard on the logistics and scheduling way before we get to SDCC, so we are set up for success. Obviously, things get shifted and adjusted during the installs, but overall we are successful because we plan prior to getting into town.

Handling Mishaps

We’re always so impressed with how good the wraps look, but there must occasionally be mishaps or wraps getting damaged by the elements. How does your team handle getting those fixed?

Lori Brabant: Thank you! We know that there are times when the wrap needs to be adjusted and/or replaced based on placement or damage. We work very closely with our production teams to be flexible and make any adjustments as needed. Luckily, this doesn’t happen very often but we are prepared just in case.

Expanding Presence

Your team has consistently expanded your presence every year, even just finding new spaces to utilize (for instance, I’m a huge fan of Maggie and her “SDCC” building blocks on the Omni last year). How does your team approach adding on additional spaces and opportunities, and why is that so important?

Lori Brabant: We have wonderful relationships with the hotels and other buildings in town based on our years of experience. We have been a go-to agency for large format solutions since 2011 and have created trust and great results with all of our partners. We continue to look for new opportunities and based on our success, properties are very interested in discussing how we can work together.

Favorite Wraps

Do you have a favorite wrap you’ve worked on over the years?

Lori Brant: That is like asking who’s your favorite child! A few that stand out are Interview With A Vampire at The Pendry, Abbott Elementary at Petco and Star Trek at the Marriott Marquis.

Fan Energy

I just can’t imagine that at other events, fans have the same level of fervor and excitement about the building wraps that we do at San Diego Comic-Con. Fans have a real attachment to the building wraps. What’s it like to be on the receiving end of that energy, especially during install week?

Kelly Reynolds: It’s pressure! We know how important this art and wraps are to the fans, clients, and the groups of artists who design them. We only get one shot a year to get it right, and we work within a very condensed timeline to install all 20+ wraps while navigating other hotel guests and activation load-ins. All in all, we feel honored to be the team that brings these wraps to life year after year. It takes a village, both within our team and among our amazing hotel partners, who work hard alongside us to turn San Diego into an oversized comic book!

Most Anticipated Wrap This Year

Which building wrap are you most excited for this year?

Kelly Reynolds: We are very excited for Crunchyroll at the Omni, this is our first time posting for them. This is also our first Anime client. However, AMC again has created incredible artwork which is going to be epic!