Splash of imagination: Study Hall’s brand for Geeked Week 2024 puts a fresh spin on the ink splatter

Each year, many fandoms rejoice at the arrival of Geeked Week – an event hosted by Netflix that gives fans old and new exclusive insights, sneak previews, and news about their favourite fictional worlds. Filled with the exciting, unpredictable energy of the fan-driven stories it showcases, Study Hall’s campaign identity for the 2024 event puts a fresh spin on Geeked Week’s established playful ink splatter concept – a motif that pays homage to the comic book roots of geek culture, where cartoonists and manga artists would meticulously ink comic pages by hand.

“Geeked Week covers a huge range of genres and styles – from animated adventures and dark fantasies to sci-fi epics and heartfelt dramas,” Study Hall’s Creative Director, Jeremy Volk, tells us. “Creating a unified visual identity for all this diverse content meant we needed something both flexible and distinctive.”

In their identity, the California-based design studio imagines the ink splatter as a living, evolving being. Almost like a character itself, it shifts and morphs, adapting to every genre and style. “For some visuals, the ink might streak aggressively across the image, adding energy and intensity. For others, it might softly frame the content, giving a gentle touch.” This flexible approach unifies the diverse offering of the event while serving as a visual metaphor for the boundless, unpredictable nature of creativity and imagination.

Fitting with this theme, the identity embraces the high-contrast interplay of black and white, which Volk describes as the yin yang of storytelling – “the most basic contrast that brings out a sense of purity and boldness.” Meanwhile, the signature Netflix red is used with restraint. “By using it sparingly,” Volk notes, “we preserved its impact, allowing it to highlight key elements without overwhelming the whole design.” This subtle brand connection grounds the identity firmly within the Netflix ecosystem while giving the black-and-white ink splatters room to shine.

To counteract the swirling chaos of the ink, Study Hall has opted for a “robust yet unpretentious” typographic direction, consisting of a bold sans serif typeface. This decision helped to create “harmonious tension” between the two brand elements. “The bold headlines serve as anchors in a sea of creative flux,” Volk explains, “guiding the viewer’s eye and delivering messages with immediate impact. By juxtaposing the fluid and solid elements, we highlight the dynamic interplay between imagination and form – a celebration of how ideas take shape.”

For Study Hall, working with a globally recognised brand like Netflix was an experience that Volk describes as both thrilling and challenging. Reflecting on the journey, he explains, “The main hurdle was bringing fresh creative energy to Geeked Week while honouring the established visual identity that audiences worldwide recognise instantly. Netflix’s brand is a rich mix of stories, emotions and experiences, so changing it requires a gentle touch. We didn’t see the restrictions as limitations but rather as a framework within which we could innovate. The challenge pushed us to be more inventive – finding harmony between the new and the familiar, and enhancing the brand’s presence without overshadowing its core essence.”

Study Hall

Geeked Week