Austin City Sounds

Award-winning brand activation hosted by the Austin American-Statesman

ART DIRECTION, visual identity, Event collateral

The Idea

The Austin American-Statesman has always been involved with the city’s vibrant music scene. Instead of creating ads to say that during Austin City Limits, we decided to host an event to get people talking about the Statesman: Austin City Sounds.

While Austin City Limits is one of the most well-known American music festivals and one of the busiest times in the city, many talented local artists don't make the official lineup. We wanted to give some of those artists a platform to shine while the global spotlight is shining on Austin.

Approach

Inspired by the atmosphere of a music festival, we created a bold identity that sought to capture the feeling of sound waves washing over the crowd under the open sky. The fluidity of the gradient and darker tones felt distinct from Austin’s main festivals, while the warmer colors kept the overall palette warm and inviting.

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Austin City Sounds was awarded Best Use of an Event to Build a News Brand by the International News Media Association in 2025.

“More than help to support their news brand, the event was able to create a sense of community for Austinites. Great use of their channels to promote it and also a great test—showing that innovation is at the brand core.”

INMA 2025 Judges

Subtle linear elements add fluid motion to frame the structured typography.

We used the type system to create simple merch that felt connected to the event branding—even in the absence of the primary gradient.

The Event

The free event was hosted at Gueros Taco Bar on South Congress and featured a lineup of four artists selected by our Statesman music team. We hosted over 375 guests throughout the night—reaching venue capacity three separate times.

The event branding flanked the stage so that the Statesman logo would appear in photos or videoes taken of the performers. We worked with a local agency to produce a video recap that was used as paid promotion on social media after the event.