Meta Connect 2022
Year 2022
︎Branding
︎Visual Identity
︎Design System
MY ROLE:
Design Lead, Art Director
Meta commissioned BUCK to develop a comprehensive visual identity and branding system for their annual virtual reality event. The scope of the project included a visual style guide, motion graphics package, social media assets, speaker presentation deck, and a promotional sizzle reel.
I’ve worked as an ACD on this project, helping to lead a huge team of artists, from conceptualization to final development.
BRIEF
One of the key challenges of this project was to create a unique and bespoke visual identity for the event, while ensuring it aligned with Meta's recently-launched brand system. This required careful consideration of how the event's visuals would integrate with the overall new brand language.
The brief asked us to interprete the brand’s very specific point of view on VR, which basically sees it as an extension of the real world, rather than something to replace real life and its experiences. Visually, we explored a balanced juxtaposition of real-life elements and the metaverse layer, represented by light projections.
One of the key challenges of this project was to create a unique and bespoke visual identity for the event, while ensuring it aligned with Meta's recently-launched brand system. This required careful consideration of how the event's visuals would integrate with the overall new brand language.
The brief asked us to interprete the brand’s very specific point of view on VR, which basically sees it as an extension of the real world, rather than something to replace real life and its experiences. Visually, we explored a balanced juxtaposition of real-life elements and the metaverse layer, represented by light projections.
CONCEPT
As a starting point, we did an extensive research on Frank Gehry's work on MK21, the new campus designed by the renowned architect for Meta. We examined the raw, exposed materials he utilized in the project, such as wood, concrete, metal, and glass, and used it as the foundation for the solid structures we designed on 3D, alluding to the concrete world.
In a parallel workstream, we gathered a group of artists and asked them to have some fun creating digital abstract paintings that could represent human expression and creativity. All the paintings were animated in 2D and then projected as light on top of the solid structures, that served as drawing boards for us to play with.
As a starting point, we did an extensive research on Frank Gehry's work on MK21, the new campus designed by the renowned architect for Meta. We examined the raw, exposed materials he utilized in the project, such as wood, concrete, metal, and glass, and used it as the foundation for the solid structures we designed on 3D, alluding to the concrete world.
In a parallel workstream, we gathered a group of artists and asked them to have some fun creating digital abstract paintings that could represent human expression and creativity. All the paintings were animated in 2D and then projected as light on top of the solid structures, that served as drawing boards for us to play with.
DEVELOPMENT
Another thing we explored was how the light projections could physically affect the concrete surfaces, creating a rich dynamic between the two layers, and also evoking the limitless creative possibilities that virtual reality provides when the constraints of the real world are removed.
Another thing we explored was how the light projections could physically affect the concrete surfaces, creating a rich dynamic between the two layers, and also evoking the limitless creative possibilities that virtual reality provides when the constraints of the real world are removed.
BRAND SYSTEM
Finally, we developed a comprehensive design system that encompassed multiple touchpoints, from social media campaigns to motion graphics packages. The system needed to be modular and flexible, allowing other vendors involved in the event to use it according to their needs.
We integrated typography with 3D objects in a way that everything felt spatial, evoking the nature of VR. As part of the larger design system, we also designed a motion system based on established principles of fluidity, dimensionality, and constant movement.
Created at BUCK Los Angeles