The New York Times has unveiled a new motion identity for its 2026 annual conference. The project features a "galaxy-style motion system" centered on subtly flowing typography and space-inspired gradients. The text and flow of light, which appear to float across the screen, focus on making movement itself the brand experience rather than a single static logo. The project was carried out in collaboration with The New York Times Creative Director Jessi Brattengeier's team and produced by design studio Daisy Chain Studio.
This identity was designed to be consistently utilized across various environments, including not only event opening videos but also presentation sessions, digital signage, presentations, and video openings. In particular, the continuous movement and flow of the typography visually represent the interconnectedness of the vast amount of content and ideas produced by The New York Times. Soft gradients and deep colors transcend the static image of traditional newspaper brands to emphasize the dynamism of the digital age, expanding the brand experience itself into a single motion system.
The New York Times has been enhancing its internal brand experience by introducing a new visual language at its annual events over the past few years. In 2024–2025, it won numerous international design awards for its motion identity, inspired by the motion of turning newspaper pages, and this year, it has evolved into a more organic and immersive motion-centric system. This project is regarded as an example demonstrating the 'motion-first' branding trend, which places brand movement and experience at the center rather than static BI.
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