Microsoft
Global Hackathon Brand Development
Creating brand tools and guardrails for Microsoft’s global innovation playground.
Microsoft Global Hackathon brings passionate problem-solvers together from all over the world to create, innovate, and develop new ideas. This highly anticipated company-wide, multi-day event draws 100,000+ employees and interns each year to brainstorm, experiment, and battle for bragging rights. The objective? To inspire employees, build community, collaborate in teams, and have a shot at developing the “next big thing”.
Touch built a design framework to capture the spirit of the event, rooted in the company’s hacking culture. Our approach leveraged a bold statement followed the simple prompt of a cursor – ready to be filled with your next move, your inspiration, your vision.
With a theme, messaging framework, brand hierarchy, and visual language established, this evergreen toolkit was unleashed to hack teams around the world to customize for their global locations. And customize they did – from print signage and wayfinding to coloring books, 3D printed bobble heads, and countless digital applications.
147,000+
Microsoft hackers
15
Global Garage Sites
The toolkit we created was used by global regional offices — Microsoft Garages from Ireland to India — to produce their own regional Hackathon materials and experiences. Each different, each visually connected.
Microsoft global Hackathon brings employees from all over the world together every year to create, innovate and hack on ideas that inspire them.
Designed to evolve
The Hackathon evergreen visual identity system was built to be flexible and support the organization’s needs year-over-year.
Interdisciplinary Services Included:
