Client
Big Data Management and Analytics Conference (BDMA)
Scope
Logo design, visual identity system, brand guidelines
Role
Sole designer: strategy, concept, execution, guidelines documentation
The Brief
BMA was a proposed conference connecting Big Data researchers, investors and technology startups. It needed an identity that could speak credibly to both academia and business.
The brief called for a concept-led mark rather than a decorative symbol, with a clean, Scandinavian-inspired aesthetic. Planned as a pilot for an annual event, the identity also needed room to evolve.
First Round: Three Structural Directions
01
Hourglass/Intersection Icon
Two opposing triangles suggest meeting and exchange. Tested alongside the wordmark and in place of the M, the symbol was visually strong but too generic to distinguish this conference from other collaborations.
02
Negative Space Letterforms
The B, M and A emerge from negative space within geometric forms. This offered a concept-led alternative to a literal symbol and was selected for further development.
03
Icon Above Wordmark
Graduation caps, data shapes and a bar-chart M made the subject immediately recognisable. The approach was clear, but relied on illustration rather than the concept-led mark the brief called for.
Second Round: Developing the Negative Space Direction
The selected direction was developed further, testing how explicit references to academia and investment could fit within the mark.
One variation replaced the M with a graduation cap incorporating a dollar sign. It communicated both audiences, but the drawn symbol conflicted with the geometric negative-space letters. The variation was rejected for this inconsistency.
This led to a different question: could an abstract accent change with each edition, rather than represent a fixed idea?
An Identity for a Conference Series
The concept evolved into an umbrella identity: a fixed letterform structure with a variable accent and colour palette for each edition. Individual events could have their own character while keeping the series recognisable.
The annual format became the organising principle of the identity, rather than a requirement to accommodate later.
The Identity System
The final system was documented in brand guidelines.
Mark construction
Geometric forms define the B, M and A through negative space. An accent at the upper right of the A varies by edition.
Colour system
Each edition uses a bold, high-contrast palette suited to its topic.
The guidelines also allow gradients and photographic fills within the mark.
The mark can sit over photographs where contrast remains sufficient. Metallic printing and foil stamping are suggested for print applications.
Clearance zone
Clear space scales with the upper element of the A, keeping proportions consistent at every size.
Logotype lockup
The slogan can sit beside or below the mark, with spacing based on the upper element of the B.
Deliverables
A brand guidelines document covering logo construction, colour, clear space and lockups, with illustrative mockups for social media, signage and delegate badges. These were usage examples, not production materials.
