Manifesting Security
IBM Security Summit New York 2019
George P Johnson Experience Marketing
RESPONSIBILITY
Creative Strategy, Concept Development
How might we create a holistic and scalable experience that communicates IBM Security's core values?
CONTEXT
The Security Summit in New York is IBM Security's tentpole proprietary event. It is an opportunity to kick off their presence for the coming year, and informs Security Summits globally throughout the year.
CHALLENGE
Given the global demand, activations we developed needed to work for multiple audiences with varying budgets, footprints and languages. I partnered closely with the design team and IBM Security's content team to articulate and achieve a cohesive event experience that could scale and adapt for future use.
DESIGN STRATEGY
The event bathed attendees in IBM Security 'aurora,' which signifies an aura of protection, free of fear and negativity. This visual device served as inspiration for each touchpoint and activation.
EXPERIENCE
An overarching design system for the event aligned each of IBM Security's content pillars to a key color in the aurora, a central element of the day's agenda, and a set of activations.
We developed a body of content activations for the event to reflect IBM Security's key solutions and products through relatable storytelling and intriguing illustration. With voice-over and on-screen text, and screen ratios designed to scale down to a tablet, each piece was designed with scalability in mind.
OUTCOME
The pandemic put our scalability talk to the test. With the help of a developer, we were able to adapt each activation for a virtual tradeshow environment, the IBM Security Virtual Experience, which was used as a sales progression tool for global IBM Security Summits throughout 2020.
This project taught me how to work hand in hand with clients to turn complex technological ideas into relatable narratives. It was also cricial in my understanding of the challenges, and ultimate rewards, of producing scalable content and experience.