Objective
Create a visual identity and creative system for DC101derland that feels unmistakably DC101, carrying the annual concert from promotion through the live experience and digital coverage.
The Challenge
DC101derland was already an established annual event, but its existing visual identity didn't feel connected to the station itself. The cleaner navy and light pink aesthetic leaned more pop than alternative rock and didn't reflect DC101's irreverent, slightly weird personality.
The opportunity wasn't to reinvent the event. It was to give it an identity that felt like something only DC101 would create.
Creative Direction
Giving DC101derland a Face
Rather than treating DC101derland as another winter concert, I wanted to give the event a personality.
So I gave it a face.
I introduced the Yeti as the recurring character behind DC101derland, framing the campaign around the idea that he comes to D.C. each winter and brings DC101derland with him. It gave the event something recognizable, weird and ownable that could evolve from year to year while staying rooted in DC101's personality.
For 2025, I pushed the character and surrounding identity further into a gritty illustrated world inspired by alternative concert culture, with distorted typography, icy details, amps, microphones and an intentionally loud color palette.
Evolving the Identity
DC101derland already had an established visual identity, but its polished holiday aesthetic didn't reflect the personality of DC101. Beginning in 2023, I started reshaping the event around something stranger, louder, and more distinctly ours.
I introduced the yeti as a recurring character, giving the annual winter show a recognizable face and a concept we could continue building around. By 2025, that idea had evolved into a complete visual world, with a bolder character design, custom event typography, an expanded color palette, and a flexible system that could move across digital, stage, merchandise, credentials, and venue graphics.
Visual System
The Yeti became the foundation for a flexible visual system that could stretch across the entire event. I carried the identity through lineup announcements, individual artist creative, social promotion and event materials while keeping each piece recognizably DC101derland.
From Campaign To Experience
What began as a visual identity became a world that carried through every part of DC101derland, from the first lineup reveal and social content to the Preshow Free Show, Jingle Ball and the final night at The Anthem. Each touchpoint felt connected, recognizable and unmistakably DC101.
The Details
Even the functional pieces became an opportunity to extend the identity backstage.
Beyond The Stage
Backstage interviews gave us a different side of the artists than listeners saw during their sets. I filmed and edited conversations between artists and DC101 talent, looking for unexpected moments that could become social content with a life beyond the event itself.
Rather than treating each interview as a straightforward recap, I edited around the personality of the conversation, adding context, imagery and pacing to make the clips feel native to social.
Outcome
The final identity gave DC101derland a world of its own. What started with the Yeti expanded across social, merchandise, backstage content and the live event, creating a consistent thread from the first announcement through the final night at The Anthem. Each piece could feel different while still clearly belonging to DC101derland.
