DESIGN + EXPERIENCE
Art-directing a future-forward event identity system that stays grounded in Disney heritage.
The Walt Disney Company's AI Summit was the first-ever company-wide event dedicated to galvanizing the Disney cast around emerging tech. Bringing AI to the forefront of one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world, 2,000 in-person and 12,000 virtual employees attended the summit to learn more about the company's broader AI strategy.
I created a few options that took the visual expression of the event across a few directions that were always rooted in Disney heritage.
Tomorrowland
Inspired by Tomorrowland, this visual direction leverages a retro-futuristic illustration style that nods to mid-century modern design while remaining contemporary and future-forward.
The restrictive color palette keeps the expressions elegant, while the stripped-down architectural styles point to a brighter and more innovative future.
Easter Eggs
Using 3D illustration and pairing it with shapes and artifacts borrowed from our internal department design system and well-known Disney IP, this direction takes a fun approach to marrying contemporary design trends with fun mix-and-match graphic styles.
Easter eggs are "floated" around heritage-inspired elements that are pared-down from our Technology Enablement visual identity.
Tech-forward Nostalgia
A slab serif type treatment with a pixel-masked image composition brings a tech-forward nod that embeds visuals from across Disney parks, animation, and entertainment properties. The duotone color treatment tempers colors and noise, while the blocked-out grid brings elevated restriction to laser-focus on the company's tech priorities.
AI as Expression
Transparent circles bring an AI-generated approach to Disney's characters and monuments. Pairing AI tools with Adobe, I created illustrations of Disney characters made of circles that animated to transform across IP. The animations were intended to demonstrate a direct example of how AI can be leveraged to bring creativity to life, while always staying grounded in the human element. A warm gradient color palette was paired to differentiate this event from other Disney initiatives, leaning into a more tech-forward atmosphere.