Brief

For a city-centre town hall, the events team requested a flip-board style countdown to mark breaks between sessions. The look needed to echo classic airport split-flap displays, remain legible at distance and require no presenter input. Editors also needed simple duration options, so the file should include preset timers they could drop into different agendas without rebuilding. The countdown would run on venue screens from a standard PowerPoint deck and must hand back to the main presentation smoothly when the break ends. In short: a brand-aligned PowerPoint flip countdown that is readable, predictable and easy to reuse.

Approach

We designed a modular digit system that mimics a split-flap flip using native PowerPoint objects. Each numeral is built with hinged halves and choreographed automatic timings to replicate the snap-flip as seconds advance. The layout sits on a disciplined 16:9 grid with safe-area margins for projectors. To simplify deployment, we delivered four preset timer slides — 10:00, 20:00, 30:00 and 45:00 — each calibrated to run without clicks. At 00:00, the animation automatically advances to the next slide in the deck, returning the room to the main presentation without operator action. Colour tokens allow quick swaps to match brand palettes, and optional labels (for example, “Back in 10 minutes”) are built in as editable text. Everything is native to Microsoft PowerPoint, so last-minute changes are straightforward.

Outcome

Event teams now insert a split-flap countdown that runs itself and fits any 16:9 town-hall screen. Switching from a 10-minute break to 20 minutes is as simple as choosing the matching preset slide. The sequence is clear at distance, remains fully editable, and at 00:00 it auto-advances to the next slide so sessions restart on time. Because it is built entirely in PowerPoint, the countdown is quick to update and reliable across common venue setups.