Engage ETF Conference
Client: Engage Conference | Role: Designer
Going head-to-head with other leaders in the investment and fintech conference space, the client aimed to stand out from the crowd and deliver an immersive, memorable experience for attendees.
Compared to the stodgy, sterile look of their competitors, I chose to explore a direction that spoke to the innovation and tech at the core of the industry to create a brand that felt just as…engaging*…as the conference itself.
My Approach
For the custom typeface I applied to the logo, I was inspired by both technology and the always-positive “up and to the right” projection that investors hope for. You will notice, in each of the letterforms, that there is always a diagonal cut that follows this trajectory. Working with this restriction pushed me to find ways to incorporate it into each letterform, which often resulted in variations of each letter being made and slotted together until there was a perfect balance of readability and style.
Brand Application
Pairing the custom type with the pseudo-monospaced font, Neue Machina, helped pull through that concept of innovation, while staying true to the mission to differentiate Engage from other conferences in the space. The color palette was inspired by positive trajectory and being “in the green”. I tweaked the hue a bit towards the more yellow end to make each piece it was applied to attention-grabbing and contemporary.
Among the brand materials, the diagonal cuts from the logo are present, creating interest with their overlaps and cut-outs. I chose to treat photography in black and white to balance out the vibrancy of the colors and stark contrast within the layouts while being able to incorporate them in a way that felt cohesive.
Conclusion
In the end, this direction was not picked, but I came out of the project with an appreciation for custom typeface creation. It was also a great opportunity to return to my roots, designing for a client that occupied space in the financial services industry. Despite not being picked, this stands out to me as one of my favorite projects to date.
*I know the pun is inexcusable, but the opportunity presented itself, and I took it.