NexAfter | NIO SUMMIT
Process
Overview
For three consecutive years, we partnered with NextAfter to design and deliver the full creative experience for their annual nonprofit marketing conference. From printed materials and branded swag to immersive 3D stage design and wayfinding signage, we helped shape a cohesive, bold environment that reflected the innovation and clarity at the heart of the NextAfter brand. The result? A conference experience that looked as sharp and intentional as the insights it delivered.
The Challenge
NextAfter is known for its cutting-edge digital testing and thought leadership—but the in-person conference experience needed to feel just as thoughtful, inspiring, and cohesive. We were tasked with developing a high-impact visual system that could scale across formats and speak to a diverse audience of nonprofit professionals, marketers, and fundraisers—many attending year after year.
Our Approach
We treated the conference like a brand activation—merging function, visual storytelling, and strategic energy into every touchpoint:
- Theme & Concept Development: Helped translate annual conference themes into visual motifs, tone, and layout logic across physical and digital environments.
- Stage & Environmental Design: Created 3D mockups and layouts for the main stage experience—including lighting, screen placement, and immersive backdrops that matched the year’s narrative tone.
- Print Collateral: Designed full attendee booklets, name badges, schedules, and inserts—optimized for readability and usability in a live event setting.
- Swag & Merchandise: Designed branded t-shirts, tote bags, notebooks, stickers, and other materials—keeping everything on-theme and actually wearable or useful post-event.
- Signage & Wayfinding: Produced directional and branding signage to guide attendees throughout the venue and reinforce visual continuity.
Results
Over the course of three years, we helped elevate the visual and experiential standard of the NextAfter conference—delivering creative that matched the excellence of the content:
- Full creative system delivered each year, on time and with seamless integration across all print, digital, and physical formats.
- Consistently positive attendee feedback, with many commenting on the clarity, consistency, and creativity of the design system.
- Brand evolution across years, as themes changed and the audience grew, while still retaining visual familiarity and trust.
- Trusted execution partner, working hand-in-hand with internal teams to support logistics, vendors, and timeline management.
The creative experience became a signature part of the conference—bringing energy and cohesion to one of the nonprofit world’s most forward-thinking gatherings.
