I approached CMA Fest as a platform, not a poster. I translated the brand intent into a working system—codifying the visual and verbal language, then packaging it so our in-house team, foundation partners, and vendors could execute quickly, stay on brand, and adapt across stages, screens, web, app, and social—supported by a motion design system and clear governance.

I set the creative direction, staffed a cross-functional crew (design, illustration, motion, editorial, wayfinding), and aligned stakeholders on a single operating model. My decisions prioritized clarity and speed: reusable components, channel-specific templates, and simple rules that protect the brand while leaving room for local expression.

Key areas of focus:

• On-Site Experience Design
  I led the creative for environmental graphics, stage/screen packages, and wayfinding—so attendees were guided, excited, and immersed in one coherent story.

• Digital Integration
  I oversaw the extension of the visual language into various digital channels from apps to social activations and assets, so fans felt connected before, during, and after the event.

• Mission Alignment
  I made sure the Foundation’s purpose wasn’t just a message tucked into a program, but something embedded across the entire experience — visually, tonally, and spatially.

Toolkit

• Stage & Screen Packages: I defined LED wall layouts, show graphics, interstitials, lower thirds, and transitions—with timing and safe-area guidance.

• Environmental & Wayfinding: I established banner families, map styles, and iconography, plus signage templates to keep movement intuitive and sites coherent.

• Motion Language: I set typographic animation, transition logic, pacing, and easing rules that scale from jumbotrons to reels.

• Type & Color System: I finalized palette and type stacks with accessibility/contrast rules and image treatments.

• Channel Templates: App, web, email, and social (9:16, 1:1, 16:9) with thumbnail/title patterns, CTA styles, and localization rules.

• Voice & Copy Blocks: I wrote message pillars, tone guidance, and reusable headline/body copy for rapid adaptation.

• Partner Kit: I packaged delivery specs and file structures so stations, sponsors, and vendors could execute without drift.

Governance

• Rules of Use: I documented do/don’t guidance, layout ratios, motion limits, and image standards.

• Naming & Versioning: I standardized file nomenclature and version control so distributed teams stayed synced.

• Taxonomy & Metadata: I defined channel/campaign tags, locale codes, and rights/expiry fields for DAM/CMS search and compliance.

• Localization Guidance: I decided what flexes (imagery, accent color, select copy) and what stays fixed (logo, type scale, structural grids).

• QA & Review Cadence: I set a pre-flight checklist for accessibility, platform specs, and approvals to reduce rework.

• Source of Truth: I established a centralized toolkit with ownership and changelog so updates propagate and drift is minimized.

How it comes together: by making the system simple to use and hard to break, my team shipped faster with fewer revisions, partners contributed without reinvention, and the festival showed up as one cohesive story—on site and online—season after season.