A flagship TED event is an incredible thing.
It’s five days long and each moment is impossibly packed with ideas, connection, emotion and passion.
At the core of the event is an editorial theme. The theme gives shape to the event and is the basis for the visual identity. The identity drives the marketing, venue design, branded environmental graphics and signage. It’s the world attendees inhabit during their experience.
I’ve led the creation of brand identities for TED events since 2013, and we’ve done them in-house since 2017. Here’s a small sample.
This is the collaborative work of an incredible team. Key contributors include: Peter Zweifel, Maya Sariahmed, Casey Walter, Nancy Hu, Sarah Jane Souther, Sarah Lee, Diana Pietrzak, Elizabeth Zeeuw, Bret Hartman, Ryan Lash, Gilberto Tadday, Mina Sabet, Martha Estafanos, Gordon Cochran, Chris Milani, Timothy Choy, as well as critical operations and logistics staff and vendors.
TED2024: The Brave and the Brilliant
2024 is momentous for TED, both because it is the 40th anniversary of TED’s founding, and because of the astonishing technological revolution happening in AI. The brave and brilliant speakers and attendees experienced an event that expressed TED’s belief that the opportunities are just as big as the challenges. At the core of the identity was the human hand — with illustration and custom lettering (done in-house) that was dynamic and jubilant. This was paired with the Söhne Mono typeface which balanced structure and expressiveness, along with a highly adaptable color palette. The result was compelling — creating an immersive environment rich with meaning and storytelling moments.
Honored by Communication Arts with first place in their Design Annual 2024 for Environmental Graphics.
TED2023: Possibility
Possibility is an enchanting word. It’s clear. Or is it murky? It’s hopeful. Or is it neutral? Or is it cause for alarm? It was an ideal encapsulation of the moment in 2023, as the development of this event coincided with with the public release of AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Midjourney. The discussion, potential, and ramifications of this technology conjured a mix of emotions for many people: excitement, wonder, alarm, uncertainty — or in a word, possibility.
Our identity became a canvas of possibility. It was open. Not fixed, but evolving; an expression of creativity across disciplines. It blended scientific and humanistic references, especially in the typography. It was the open field in which attendees took stock of the current moment and opened their minds to the possibilities presented on and off the TED stage.
