Alibaba ET Brain
Company Wolff Olins
Introduction Date February 10, 2018
Project Website
Why is this project worthy of an award?
ET Brain represents a big leap in Artificial Intelligence. It is the first AI platform to mimic the structures and patterns of our human brains, meaning it learns, adapts and arrives at solutions quicker and more accurately than humans. ET Brain is already part of everyday life in China, keeping city infrastructures flowing, and its people safer. It’s also being rolled out for Industry, Medical, Aviation and Environmental uses – and was unveiled to the world as the digital partner of the Olympics at Pyeongchang 2018. While the power of its technology is impressive, our client knew they faced problems bringing ET Brain to a global audience. High on the list was removing the fear and anxiety associated with AI in general, we needed to change the narrative away from Skynet and Black Mirror into something much more positive and human. The challenge could be summed up as giving something invisible, inhuman and intangible an identity that people could relate to, and ultimately, trust in. It wasn’t enough to make ET Brain globally recognisable, users are interacting with ET Brain everyday and we needed to make that service seamless and simple. We had to go beyond traditional visual identity thinking. We imagined ET Brain as an evolutionary technology, one that was not only highly advanced but one that could help humanity evolve too. To live up to this promise users needed to always understand what ET Brain was doing and why it arrived at it conclusions. By itself the logo is designed to look like a friendly, approachable face, but we also gave the logo a kind of soul. We built a series of facial-like expressions and movements to convey emotions and responses that are based on universally understood human gestures. Each gesture such as waiting, listening, thinking and speaking gives ET Brain the ability to respond and interact with users in real-time, helping it communicate globally without words, and build trust into an invisible and hard to understand technology.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
This identity is one of the first examples of a new type of identity that we are calling Intelligent Identities. As tech is becoming more integrated into the world around us, brands will need identities that are more intelligent and built for this world. None of the standard VI rules apply, you’re relying on sounds, voice, gestures and behaviours as much as (possibly more than) the mark itself — smart, interconnected and responsive assets, intrinsically connected to new technologies and platforms. An intelligent Identity helps a brand have a conversation at a human level, on a broad scale. It helps people do more. They listen, creating a genuine and lasting dialogue with people. Above all, they seek to build an emotional connection with people, and aim to influence lives in positive ways. For ET Brain this meant thinking about where it lives and bringing that personality across when it is an avatar, a presenter, a voice, an interface, and even a 4ft character! If we got it wrong, and didn’t create a coherent, recognisable, dependable intelligence across any of those touchpoints we would destroy trust very quickly. We used animation principles to humanise every gesture of the logo, we created quirky, soft, approachable sounds to invite people to be curious and step towards it rather than shy away from it. We also created a strong visual world for ET Brain, showing it interacting with people and things in our world where possible.
Who worked on the project?
Emma Barratt, Creative Director Sidney Lim, Senior Designer Larissa Maris, Programme Director Matthias Hoegg, Senior Animator Tom Bennett, Designer Franc Falco, 3D Modeller
View the project video: https://vimeo.com/255443293
Lafayette Anticipations
Company Wolff Olins
Introduction Date March 10, 2018
Project Website https://www.lafayetteanticipations.com/fr
Why is this project worthy of an award?
For 120 years, French department store Galeries Lafayette has built a business around the idea of ‘a unique encounter of creativity and commerce, accessible to all’. But rather than simply market the product of creativity, or idolize the art itself, Guillaume Houzé, President of the Foundation, wanted to get closer to the process itself. He launched Lafayette Anticipations, an art foundation in Paris, which showcases work that challenges people's notions of art and - uniquely - brings making to the fore. Creatives of all kinds are invited to develop boundary-pushing work in the in-house, high-tech workshop, and our brief was to design a brand to embody this. With production always continuing in the background, the feeling of anticipation would be present and powerful for the audience, so it became our focus. The identity needed to convey this, and at the same time be easy to apply across print, digital and signage. Inspired by the insight that concealing and revealing words in part creates more anticipation than showing it in full, Wolff Olins anchored the brand on a dynamic bespoke typeface that appears to be in constant mechanical motion, even when static. Letters in a word are cropped in a random order, with an algorithm ensuring that typing the same word twice yields different letter combinations. This coincided with the mechanical architecture of the Rem Koolhaas-designed building. It’s comprised of four motorized platforms that can move independently, meaning the space can be reconfigured in 49 ways. As the artists make their pieces, so the building makes different spaces. It speaks directly to the diverse international target audience, whose main intention is to experience something fresh and immerse themselves in ideas in the making. At the heart of our execution is a dynamic, mechanical and bespoke typeface that appears to be in constant motion. The actual foundation opened on the 10th of March 2018, and has made waves in the media ever since, which is hugely impressive in such a short time.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
Anticipations Sans was designed in 3 phases. The first phase was the design of the 'base' letterforms, inspired by the mechanical structure of the building and it’s pure geometrical forms. The second phase involved concealing parts of each letter to obtain the full 'cropped' glyph set, and the last phase involved writing an algorithm. This automates the randomised glyph selection when words are typed, striking a balance between unpredictability and legibility. It embodies the sense of anticipation created by ideas in the making. It’s easy to apply at any scale: from large, animated signage in the concourse to static formats in the building frontage; from printed materials like tote bags to moving image across social media, Vimeo channels, and cinema idents.
Who worked on the project?
Sidney Lim, Senior Designer Chris Moody, Chief Design Officer Brian Boylan, Mentor Neil Cummings, Creative Director Calle Enstrom, Senior Designer Pierre Antoine Arlot, Programme Director Colophon Foundry, Typography Richard Coldicott, Animator Agence Zélé, Signage Design Agence Dream On, Implementation Agency Cassie Simpson, Account Manager
View the project video: https://vimeo.com/259428065
NYC
Company Wolff Olins
Introduction Date October 15, 2007
Project Website
Why is this project worthy of an award?
New York City is a city of billboards, ads, and logos. But there’s probably one logo today’s New Yorkers and tourists to the city see more than any other: the one for NYC itself. It’s on the taxis we ride in and the subway signs we glance at, in the windows of our favorite restaurants and the forms we fill out for all kinds of things. In 2007, NYC & Company, the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the city of New York tapped Wolff Olins to create a visual identity that could successfully represent the entirety of the city. Of course, this was an enormous challenge. New York is a city loved in 138 different languages and viewed through an almost infinite mix of cultures, ideologies, and ways of life. Each individual has their own New York. This kaleidoscopic quality is the thing residents love, but it was difficult to represent. Wolff Olins’ aim when creating the identity for New York City was to try to capture an essence, an idea eventually articulated as “only one, but no one NYC.” The resulting logo and design system was embraced across many city-wide initiatives, like greenNYC, BeFitNYC and milliontreesNYC. The year following the launch, there was a 13% increase in visitor numbers resulting in 370,000 more jobs for the city. 2008 became a record year with 47 million people visiting the city, generating $33 billion in visitor spending. In the place of what was once many disparate and confusing identities, the NYC mark has become a strong, singular voice for the City and will be for years to come.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
The letterforms of the logo are sturdy, thick and rugged – a little on the tough side – just like a New Yorker. The mark is durable and reveals images of a range of cultures, professions, brands and activities. Wolff Olins created letter forms that felt like the forms you see when you look out the windows in the city; the big buildings, the sharp angles, there is a massiveness and a fullness to the city that was captured. The core idea that there is only one NYC but there is no one NYC was the driving force when using the identity. On a very practical level it was made as bold as it is to clearly communicate that anytime you see it it’s coming from a department, an initiative, or anything from the city in an official capacity.
Who worked on the project?
Jordan Crane, Design Karl Heiselman, Design Paige Reilly, Account Manager Mike Abbink, Design Brian Boylan, Mentor
View the project video:
(RED)
Company Wolff Olins
Introduction Date October 13, 2006
Project Website
Why is this project worthy of an award?
(RED) is one of the most effective, and arguably the most iconic social impact brand created since the turn of the century. In the early 2000s, HIV/AIDS had been in the news for decades, a human crisis on a massive scale. Though infection rates continued to rise in Africa, financial support was dwindling. So activists Bobby Shriver and Bono came up with a radical new idea to harness the power of the world’s biggest retailers to raise money and awareness for the cause. The model they were envisioning would make giving effortless for consumers, while generating profits and a sense of purpose for partner companies, and a new source of sustainable income for the Global Fund. Teaming up with (RED)’s leadership team from the beginning, Wolff Olins designed a visual identity and story that would take the organization from an idea on a napkin to a tangible, visceral, global brand. The sharp language and clever visual identity started working hard right away, getting companies on board with the vision. Drawn by the connection to a purpose beyond profit, founding partners like Apple, Gap and Converse signed on, with some even committing to manufacturing in African countries, generating local opportunities. When Bono publicly launched (RED) at the World Economic Forum in January 2006, it instantly charmed consumers and business leaders alike. Within five weeks of the US launch, the (RED) brand was already registering 30% unaided awareness. Immediately after its UK launch, Amex saw an immediate lift in brand perception with younger customers. Gap saw a major improvement in employee engagement, and their INSPI(RED) T-shirt became a bestseller. Now twelve years later, (RED) continues to exceed its goals. Each year, new partners like Salesforce and Swell join the movement and companies launch all kinds of (RED) co-branded products, from iPhones to bracelets. The visual identity remains iconic, the brand is thriving, and the impact continues. In total, (RED) has generated a staggering $500 million to support The Global Fund’s work, improving the lives of more than 110 million people across eight African countries. Driven by the power of design, the grand vision of an AIDS free generation seems entirely possible.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
The revolutionary organization conceptualized by Bono and Bobby Shriver was a union of businesses, people and ideas which required a creative design solution that simultaneously heroed partner brands while creating an iconic identity. Wolff Olins challenge was to create a brand to identify (RED), market (RED) products in conjunction with partners, and represent the (RED) ambition. Wolff Olins’ rejected traditional co-branding devices where marks live side-by-side, and instead anchored the design system around the inherent power of two unified brands. The final system was expressed by brackets that embraced partner marks, and the placement of superscripted (RED). The outcome is a modified version of the partner mark that emphasizes one entity, with the exponential power of (RED).
Who worked on the project?
Sam Wilson, Strategist Karl Heiselman, Design Henricus Kusbiantoro, Design Todd Simmons, Design Eric Scott, Mentor Tina Mehta, Strategist
View the project video: https://vimeo.com/111228439
Thorn
Company Wolff Olins
Introduction Date November 16, 2017
Project Website
Why is this project worthy of an award?
The internet has aggravated child sex abuse, making it easier for abusers to distribute content and harder for law enforcement to find them. We helped Thorn articulate and visualize their mission to address this invisible global emergency. Every child has the right to be happy and curious, but for victims of abuse across the world, this right is shattered. Thorn – a visionary force in the non-profit space – focuses the sharpest minds in the tech and NGO worlds to fight against this. It stands up to traffickers and helps stop the spread of child pornography. Thorn gained national attention in early 2017 following Co-Founder Ashton Kutcher’s impassioned testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It partners with the world’s most prominent tech companies including Amazon, Microsoft, Twitter, Google, Yahoo and Intel to help keep platforms safer. To harness momentum and with a 5-year anniversary approaching, CEO Julie Cordua recognized the opportunity to accelerate the mission and supercharge the organization. She set out to engage more people to join the fight by sharing Thorn’s ambition. Child sex abuse is a tragic and difficult subject to broach. Our challenge was to set the right tone, inspiring partners to stay engaged and getting new audiences to listen. After 6 months of in-depth research with law enforcement, donors, government officials, and partners in close collaboration with Thorn’s team, we captured the purpose in the distilled statement: “Until every child can be a kid”.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
The new visual identity system celebrates the role of the expanded and activated network behind Thorn, inspired by the idea that it takes more than one thorn to protect the rose. The system can be applied in a singular way or in a dynamic group to express working together as a force. Accompanied by a warmer, more vibrant color palette and a thoughtful approach to photography, it shows the strength of an optimistic and united front. With the production requirements of a non-profit in mind, we produced a hardworking toolkit that allows Thorn’s team to create materials themselves. It includes in-depth digital templates that make it easy for non-designers to produce beautiful content consistently. It also contains communication principles that provide clarity and pave the way for pragmatic action.
Who worked on the project?
Strategy: Brian Boylan, Global Chairman Samantha Wilson, Global Principal Mila Linares, Strategy Director Samuel Liebeskind, Senior Strategist Elizabeth Benson, Strategist Steven Phillips-Horst, Copywriter Program Management: Ankur Naik, Program Manager Design: Cynthia Pratomo, Creative Director Jan Eumann, Design Director Crissy Fetcher, Senior Designer Kate Rinker, Designer Simon Blanckensee, Design Intern Motion: Masa Wakabayashi, Freelancer
View the project video: https://vimeo.com/245750279
USA TODAY
Company Wolff Olins
Introduction Date September 13, 2012
Project Website
Why is this project worthy of an award?
USA TODAY was originally created based on a vision to be a “forum for better understanding”. As pioneers of visual storytelling and concise copy, they were dedicated to telling the news in a way that made it relevant to the lives of everyday Americans. By 2012, USA TODAY was the 2nd largest newspaper in the United States, with one in every seven Americans interacting with the brand each week. But with its 30th anniversary approaching and people buying fewer and fewer print editions, USA TODAY needed to fundamentally reinvent itself for the future, shifting from a newspaper brand to a platform-independent news brand and reclaiming its place as an American icon. Working alongside a team of partners including Fantasy Interactive, co:collective and Bold Monday, Wolff Olins redesigned USA Today’s visual identity to be more modern and unified and completely transformed all the brand’s platforms, including the ubiquitous print edition of the newspaper. Our goal with both was to recapture the boldness and innovation that drove USA TODAY from the start. The impact was both dramatic and long-lasting. In the month after launch, the number of unique visitors to USA TODAY’s mobile sites increased by 79%, and the brand’s digital revenue increased by over 69%. Further market research showed that almost two-thirds of readers thought the newspaper redesign made the news easier to read. The redesign became one of the largest media business stories of 2012, resulting in total media impressions exceeding $325 million and Gannett — the media company that owns USA TODAY — reported a first-quarter profit increase of 53%. Today, USA TODAY continues embraces its new identity and be a forum for better understanding — a much needed national platform in America’s increasingly echo-chambered media landscape. As publisher Maribel Wadsworth reports, the USA TODAY sites now average around 98 million unique visitors every month, digital advertising now represents about two-thirds of its entire advertising business, and the brand has ”more readership than we have ever had in the history of our company.” Driven by the power of bold, thoughtful design, USA Today has ridden out the digital wave and remains one of America’s biggest news brands: a balanced, iconic pulse of the nation.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
There are two things we think make this design unique and innovative: The dynamic identity — Building on USA Today’s long-standing leadership position in visual storytelling, the logo was redesigned to be as dynamic as the news itself — a live infographic that can change with the news. The design solution was audacious in its simplicity. But by getting out of the way, it provided a canvas for the newsroom to put the content first, highlighting the stories that matter to the nation. What makes this different from other dynamic identities is that the flexibility wasn’t just for art’s sake: giving people a glimpse of the day’s top story right in the logo itself actually improved the experience of consuming the news. The fully cross-platform design system — People today talk about designing for print or designing for digital. The USA TODAY redesign accomplished both, in a coherent, unified way. The actual redesign of the newspaper created an opportunity to re-imagine the content itself, not just change it on the surface. The end product not only created more hierarchy and an overall better visual experience, but created a fluid interplay between print and digital, inviting people to jump across the entire ecosystem of USA TODAY digital products. “The decision to remake an iconic brand should not be taken lightly,” Gannett CMO Maryam Banikarim said at an employee presentation on the day of the launch. “The re-imagination of the USA Today logo is a great signal to the marketplace. It’s a signal of all the changes that are happening here - of our new digital products, our new re-designed paper and a re-imagination of our content across all platforms.” In hindsight, she was absolutely right.
Who worked on the project?
Lisa Smith — Design Director Mads Poulsen — Senior Designer Melissa Scott — Senior Designer Alvin Aronson — Designer Jeanette Abbink — Designer James Kape — Designer Mike Abbink — Typography Johnny Selman — Illustrator Kate Nielsen — Account Manager Jessica Chalifoux — Account Manager Sam Wilson — Strategy Director
View the project video: https://vimeo.com/111151988
