MG2 50th Anniversary
In 2021, MG2 acknowledged five decades of success. With the world still partially in lockdown, it was a challenge to celebrate how we’d originally intended and would have been easy to let this significant milestone pass by unnoticed. Instead, I proposed a project charter that would mark the occasion as much as the virtual nature of 2021 allowed and bring the firm together in new and unexpected ways.
I proposed numerous experiences and opportunities for staff to contribute throughout the year, with the idea to compile a final physical and digital “zine” to encapsulate the past 50 years and look forward to the next 50. With the CEO on board, I accepted the challenge to lead creative direction, project management, program design, and production design for MG2’s 50th Anniversary event.
Creative and Art Direction, Lead Designer, Program and Project Management
I worked closely with CEO and CCO to define project goals and desired outcomes then lead creative design, writing, and project management teams to set vision, define theme, and shape experience.
Directing logo design, theme adjacent type system, custom color palette, and photography/videography.
It was important to me that this celebration have its own identity. I wanted the program to have characteristics inspired by our past, but also have a cool new slant inspired by the future we envision for ourselves. In debating whether we should celebrate our past or nod to the future, we decided, why not both? Thus our 50th Anniversary theme of “Looking Both Ways” was formed.
An inclusive experience for MG2 employees, our program goal was designed to capture as many voices, offices, tenures, and perspectives as possible.
Throughout the year, we captured ideas from about 40% of the firm. We conducted, filmed and transcribed interviews with our Executive Team (CEO, President, CCO, COO, and former CEO). Planned topics for and hosted 6 live podcast-style panels focused on design and culture. Gathered 25 individual thought leadership pieces. And conducted a firm-wide “future casting” survey campaign aimed at defining and predicting the next 50 years at MG2. We even received a letter from the firm’s founder recounting those first couple of years.
I wore many hats during this time and exercised skills across visual and environmental design, digital experience, creative writing, and strict project management.
Our goal was to immortalize what this anniversary meant to employees from all experiences and perspectives, and bring it to life through something that was unique, artful, and a little rough around the edges. Something cool and fun to display on our coffee tables amongst editions of Rizzoli and Phaidon.
The 50th Anniversary Zine
The zine is comprised of three chapters, each depicting a certain time period of the firm. Each chapter features a distinct design personality; from color palette and typography to creative writing and voice. We’ve integrated our audio and video experiences via QR codes that launch you to our “Conversations” series podcasts and video interviews with our executive team. Photo spreads are punctuated with die cut paper pieces that pace your experience and add a touch of whimsy. Gate fold timelines expand our history past, present, and untold future to create something truly interactive. Paper choices have been carefully selected to evolve and shift with the eras of stories they tell. The zine is wrapped in one final iteration of our logo, dissecting it with notes and key drawings reminiscent of architectural plans.
Activating the space
To round out this larger than life project, I led my team to design large scale wall graphics depicting key moments from each chapter. We drew inspiration from plastered street posters and created a grid design with blown out elements. On the wall adjacent, we created a multimedia timeline that’s projection rotated through the past 50 years and predictions of the next 50. Throughout the center of our installation, I merchandised memorabilia and artifacts collected over the years as well as our commemorative 50th Anniversary sweatshirts. Employees were invited to sit at these tables to flip through the zine.
Leading this project was truly a passion project for me. Amongst challenges, scope shifts, and production obstacles, I emerged a confident, inspired creative ready to do it all over again.