Embracing Digital Evolution: Creating Interactive PDFs for Synchrony’s Global Hubs
As the years have progressed I've seen a significant shift in how information is collected and distributed in my field. Print used to be all the rage decades ago and so many companies I have worked for have not only preferred print over digital but took pride in the print collateral they would produce. Being a classically trained artist and general enthusiast of quality print materials I naturally took to it from the beginning of my career. Over time I began to understand the shift towards digital assets not just because of the cost but because of their versatility and usability.
One project in particular I worked on recently was an interactive PDF for Synchrony. They wanted a series of PDFs they could send out to anyone who would be visiting one of their many hubs across the country and globe. Each document would be catered to each hub's location. Within the document would be information on everything from where to park to where to find a hotel or a good place to eat.
Designing Bold and Creative Solutions: Reimagining Synchrony’s Chicago Hub Interactive PDF
At the time of this request, Synchrony was going through some changes regarding its brand and the company that was responsible for building it. They decided to go a different direction and give their brand a facelift with a new agency. So at the time, they were kind of in limbo as far as their guidelines were concerned and I was given the okay to explore new ideas and think outside the box which was exciting for me as I love projects like this.
I spent a lot of time researching and just getting inspired by what was out there. What people were doing? I keep a pretty extensive Pinterest page along with Behance and follow dozens of artists, designers, and agencies on Instagram.
I dove right in and just really had fun with this first piece for their Chicago location. I leveraged as much photography as I could of the city. I found so much great content and used it alongside their branded photography as well as their secondary color palette which is so much brighter and appealing than their main color palette of gray, yellow, and white.
I didn't have a game plan when I started this piece. It was one of those projects that kind of came together as I went along. As most designers will tell you, that doesn't happen too often. Along with being an interactive informational piece, I wanted it to look beautiful and unlike anything Synchrony had produced in the past. The final piece was extremely well received. So much so that the new agency even leveraged some of it in their new brand standards. Branding is something I have been fascinated with for a very long time. So much goes into a successful brand. To have the opportunity to take a shot at rebranding a huge global financial institution was extremely fun and satisfying.
