DELTA at SXSW 2024
CLIENT: Delta Air Lines
ROLE: Graphic Design, Proposal, Art Direction, Videography, Production
When Delta approached RED VELVET in early 2023 with a strong desire to break into the experiential market of SXSW, I knew we had to make our pitch deck not just flawless but deeply connected to their business goals. As a native Georgian, I took it as a personal challenge to showcase my intimate knowledge of the Delta brand and provide valuable context to my team.
My role on this account was a bit of a whirlwind. I was an “on-call” art director and production lead, juggled graphic design and website development for various components of the experience, and handled all the content capturing and marketing for the entire program (as well as two other accounts we had during that SXSW).
I developed a strong appreciation for the creative agency we collaborated with, Team Epiphany, and our fabrication superhero, Interactive Nature. Good work can’t be done without good people, so thanks for making magic happen with us.
A sizzle in production
A labor of love with the quickest turnaround my editor and I had ever achieved. Watch the Delta at SXSW 2024 highlight reel featuring art direction from yours truly.
This was a multi-venue four-hour shoot. We started at the Delta SXSW house at Estelle’s where we captured the life and beautiful decor of the Delta Lounge and then made our way down to the Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Shooting in the airport was a first for me with learning lessons around additional security protocols, clearly defined shot lists, and extra disclaimers for airport-goers. I look forward to doing more activations in airports as I have always found them to be such fascinating places full of the best people watching.
Shout out to Kevin Hayes Media and Bert McLendon’s team who worked with me day and night and who even let me safety pin photo disclaimers on their person.
You’re Invited, Part One
The first pitch was for physical invitations to be sent to select attendees for Delta’s VIP dinner featuring celebrity chef and exclusive musical performance at one of Austin’s finest dining spots, Hestia.
Working closely with RED VELVET’s lead art director for design consistency and armed with Delta’s SXSW toolkit, I began concepting. After the physical invitation route was nixed, we focused on delivering the closest possible digital alternative to these A-list celebrities, C-Suite execs, notable politicians, and other important attendees Delta wanted present.
After the client selected the “moody desert” option, I honed in on the design. Following about fourteen thousand revisions, copy edits, “can you make this bigger” requests, and a final legal review, the invites were sent and received by our VIPs.
I’m pleased with the end design, which pulled in visual elements from the goddess Hestia and desert vegetation to match the evening's aesthetic. The final design fit perfectly into their email RSVP system and became the branding framework for welcome cards, menu, and parting gift card with a personal note from CEO, Ed Bastian.
You’re Invited, Part Two
Deciding instead to go with a different theme altogether that was unique from the Delta SXSW aesthetic. I pulled inspiration from the dark speakeasy pallet of the overall lookbook but also brought in some unique pieces from the restaurant, Hestia and the desire to feel, “softly desert ike, almost modern Yellowstone.” Using the goddess silhouette and some good old cactus imagery I was able to put together a beautiful look that previewed the feeling for the evening. The red and dark blue duotone effect paired with the typeface Tumbleweed gives an elegant modern desert feel. Welcome cards, menus, and signage were all based on this invitation design and made for a beautiful evening for our C-suite and VIP guests.
