Editor’s Note: This project won Best of Region for the Far West in PRINT’s 2018 Regional Design Awards. See all of the winners here, and don’t forget to enter the 2019 Regional Design Awards.
The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles came to 72andSunny with a dream project: Brand the city as the world’s creative capital. Boom—challenge accepted. The results? A galvanized city of creators united by an ultra-hip look. With the “L” and “A” extended from one another, the negative space invites various creative endeavors to be showcased. This gave way to 50+ icons that canvased the city, including 300 screens throughout domestic and international terminals at airport LAX, and were featured in an online film.
The Creatives Behind the Culture
Each icon featured none other than LA’s very own creative culture, such as the likes of musician Kendrick Lamar, chef Roy Choi, and artist Shepard Fairy as well as other local creators. Naturally, the project took on a life of its own with a goal to rally the creative class around a modern identity for the city. The new identity was anchored by a simple truth that “LA gives you space to create” and that spirit appears to have infused the very process behind this project.
In fact, Kelly Schoeffel, 72andSunny’s executive strategy director and partner, found it “electric” and describes LA Original as a love letter to Los Angeles and its boundless creative freedom. “It was [a] once in a lifetime opportunity to brand a city—especially LA, and especially now. Creating this work was an expression of the idea…a bunch of diverse creative people building and riffing on one another, with passion and without ego. It was a joy,” she says. “The creative community is why this campaign exists. LA Original is a way to honor them, support them, celebrate them, challenge them. We like to say this is a 50-year idea …we can’t wait to see where the community takes it next.”
FAR WEST — BEST OF REGION Design Annual Awards 2018: LA Original
72andSunny, Playa Vista, CA; www.72andsunny.com: Garrett Jones, Peter Reid, Robert Nakata, Ben Hodgin (creative directors), Andy Lam, Kwaku Beke, Alex Cannon (designers), Tyree Harris, Peter Hughes (writers); Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles (client)