Zenly
Some stories start with A—others start with Z.
Some stories start with A—others start with Z.
Maps no longer reflect the world we live in today. They represent a generic, engineered view of the world designed around geographical accuracy, not human intimacy. Zenly, Snap Inc’s hugely successful Gen Z geolocation social app wanted to reinvent the map and bring it to the world. They needed help communicating that message through their brand identity and marketing.
We defined a daring and quirky design strategy—‘Peopling Your Worlds’—by rooting it heavily in Zenly’s product approach to create ‘maps with character’. The strategy also helped us unlock a graphic device called the ‘Zone’, where Zenly journeys overlap and activate in fun and vibrant ways when people come together. The Zone grid system is an extension of the new wordmark and popsicle we developed, tying previously disparate brand elements together consistently.
We set out to build on Zenly’s existing work, celebrating the color and zaniness they already possessed through a visual system they could scale and culturally localize. For example, the 3D popsicle became a device that can transform into endless possibilities when activated. These activations occur when Zenly participates in culture in their own whimsical, vibrant, and quirky way. This enables Zenly to showcase what it does best: celebrate the people and paths that bring our worlds to life.
Designed
Character NY
Role
Associate Design Director
Team
Creative Direction: Virgilio Santos, Manuel Dilone | Design & Art Direction: Gabby Lord, Joe Wright, Pedro Veneziano, Whitney Badge | 3D: Pedro Veneziano | Design Strategy: Lauren W ong | Project Management: Veronica Hoglund
We defined a daring and quirky design strategy—‘Peopling Your Worlds’—by rooting it heavily in Zenly’s product approach to create ‘maps with character’. The strategy also helped us unlock a graphic device called the ‘Zone’, where Zenly journeys overlap and activate in fun and vibrant ways when people come together. The Zone grid system is an extension of the new wordmark and popsicle we developed, tying previously disparate brand elements together consistently.
We set out to build on Zenly’s existing work, celebrating the color and zaniness they already possessed through a visual system they could scale and culturally localize. For example, the 3D popsicle became a device that can transform into endless possibilities when activated. These activations occur when Zenly participates in culture in their own whimsical, vibrant, and quirky way. This enables Zenly to showcase what it does best: celebrate the people and paths that bring our worlds to life.
Designed
Character NY
Role
Associate Design Director
Team
Creative Direction: Virgilio Santos, Manuel Dilone | Design & Art Direction: Gabby Lord, Joe Wright, Pedro Veneziano, Whitney Badge | 3D: Pedro Veneziano | Design Strategy: Lauren W ong | Project Management: Veronica Hoglund