Meta Connect 22

2022

Our frequent collaborator, Meta, came to us to compose a new visual identity for Meta Connect 2022 — their annual event devoted to augmented and virtual reality. We delivered an entire branding system (which informed all executions of the event) leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to create a holistic visual experience.

Metaverse Meets Reality

With so many layers and different aspects to focus on for Meta Connect 2022, we needed a strong concept to tie everything together. We were on the hook for a visual style guide, a presenter’s session deck, an event package, social media assets, sizzle reels, and more.

Inspired by Meta’s vision of VR as an extension of the real world, we explored the symbiotic relationship between them — finding a balanced juxtaposition of real-life elements (mineral-like textures and the like) and the metaverse layer.

Establishing the Balance

By merging Meta’s core brand identity with components designed specifically for the event, we discovered our visual approach. Their newly created brand elements hadn’t really been exhibited before, so we were excited to fuse the fresh face of their brand with our concept for this year’s event.

From there, we began our journey into combining raw materials and metaverse-inspired layers. These layers affected our designed objects with colorful, projected light patterns and subtle surface deformations. The process established a dramatic display of contrasts, with the real, concrete elements acting as a drawing board for our kaleidoscopic inventions of shape and color.

Architectural Influences

Seminal architect Frank Gehry’s work on MPK21, Meta’s new state of the art campus, was the wellspring of inspiration for the real materials in our visual system. The architect’s choice of exposed raw materials in the building’s design and construction became our structure — the base for the metaverse layer to be projected onto.

Harmony at the Intersection

Combining expressive, human qualities the colorful, animated patterns that represented the metaverse were created by BUCK artists. Once projected onto our raw materials, they became emblematic of the limitless creative possibilities that virtual reality provides when the constraints of the real world are removed.

What prevailed through these dichotomous environments and materials was a visual source of communication — a constant theme of one influencing the other. It is within this back and forth between environments where our story was grounded.

Finding the Formula

From a technical standpoint, this was a great achievement. The effort and synergy between nearly every BUCK department was perfectly in sync and fluid.

Striking the right balance between core brand and bespoke elements served as an exciting challenge for the team to establish our visual approach. This was all captured in a comprehensive style guide for both design and motion to inform other vendors involved in the event as well.

A modular motion system, developed by our animation team, optimized the post-production aspect of our package — allowing editors the freedom to assemble every element in a variety of dynamic ways.

The Joys of a Visual Journey

This project was a testament to discovery and collaboration. A gradual process of exploration allowed each department to flex its experimental side, given we were working from a comparatively open brief without much reference to go on.

Behind all of this was a genuine excitement to develop an entirely new visual language and identity for Meta Connect. What started as something abstract and formless became concrete and one-of-kind. The challenge was in how to maintain consistency and meet the various demands posed by an event with this many moving parts.




Credits

BUCK

Executive Creative Director

Kevin Walker

Group Creative Director

Camille Chu

Executive Producer

Justin Harris

Creative Director

Fernando Bittar

Producer

Adam Reeb

Fernanda Garcia Lopez

Production Coordinator

Celine Nguyen

Kyjahana Irizarry

Head of 3D / 3D Supervisor

Alex Dingfelder

Senior Art Director

Florence Dagostini

CG Lead

Kien Hoang

2D Animation Lead

Taylor Griggs

Design

Alex Kiesling

Atila Meireles

Dan Muangprasert

Danilo Rodrigues

Devin Mathews

Eduardo Gooda

Fernando Bittar

Florence Dagostini

Haeri Cho

Hanna No

James Kim

Noel Nunez-Caba

Yi Zheng

Look Development

Cesar Barbosa

Fernando Bittar

Josefina Llano

Kevin Weber

Leandro Beltran

Marcio Flausino

Nachei Sanchez

Pedro Veneziano

Seba Morales

Vini Nascimiento

Lighting

Irmak Semiz

Jens Lindgren

Katriel Smith

Kien Hoang

Tina Chao

Compositing

Irmak Semiz

Kien Hoang

3D Animation

Bihhel Barbosa

Katriel Smith

Nicholas Ferrira

2D Animation

Adrian Moran

Fabian Morison

Gavin Kosko

John Flores

Joseph Moon

Lauren Tom

Leo Franchi

Luke Barker

Lumi Chang

Marian Callanta

Mark Butchko

Nick Brown

Nicole DiLeo

Ricardo Mendes

Editor

Billy Kostka

Dave Conte

Heather Bartholomae

Randy Rubin

Agency

Creative Director

John Lin

Steven Phan

Executive Producer

Lindsay Hegleman