The Brief
Kestra Financial needed a full visual identity for Ascend 2022, an event marking the return to in-person gatherings after COVID. The theme, "Rise. Reconnect. Rejoice," called for a celebratory, grounded design language, with the phoenix rising from the ashes as a natural anchor for both the story and the Phoenix location, shaping the event's visual direction across print, digital, and stage environments.
My Role
I led all visual branding for the conference, designing signage, wayfinding, the registration website, agendas, keynote graphics, and presentation templates. I also created custom branding for Camp Kestra, the event's evening activation, including the camping-area afterparty and marshmallow roasting station. I collaborated directly with the exhibit builders on 3D designs for the expo hub and stations, plus the videography team on branded intro reels for the main stage.
The Challenge
The brand needed to hold up across a huge range of formats and scales, from a keynote deck to a fully built-out 3D expo hub, while staying visually consistent and on-message. Coordinating that consistency across multiple outside partners, exhibit builders, videographers, and event planners meant the system had to be flexible enough to hand off and precise enough to protect the intent, especially across print, digital, and built environments.
The Outcome
The result was a unified, immersive brand system that appeared in wayfinding, large decals, stage graphics, a custom expo space, and a custom-branded camping-area afterparty with a marshmallow-roasting station. The desert and phoenix themes brought everything together, creating a unique conference identity that stood out and worked across print, digital, and 3D exhibit design.
