YouTube Black Creator & Brand Summits

CLIENT: YOUTUBE | 📍 ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Context: The YouTube Black Creator and Brand Summits are an annual, 3-day series of events that celebrate black creators and their content on YouTube. This year, the summits were held in the African American capital of the world: Atlanta. YouTube took over the Moxy and AC Hotels, the Rooftop at Ponce City Market, the iconic Cascade Skating Rink, and the Trap Music Museum for a variety of workshops, panel discussions, shows, educational and wellness activities, and parties.

Design Direction: Layers of lush, earthy tones, glowing branded touches, and pops of audacious patterns created a modern, yet historically cognizant interpretation of the evolving cultural scene in Atlanta.

ROLE: Art Director, MAS Event + Design

art direction, design, renderings, floor plans, sourcing, install oversight and styling

Family Reunion BBQ Party

After checking in to the Moxy Hotel on day 1, creators were invited upstairs to the pool deck for a welcome reception. As many of the creators knew each other from past events and YouTube exchanges, the reception was set up as family reunion backyard BBQ with fresh beats, hella drinks, and good eats.

Glam Suite

A retro-style makeup and hair parlor headed by popular Atlanta hairstylist Ming Lee gave attendees the VIP treatment and tidbits of entrepreneurial advice before they headed out to a red carpet and fan engagement show for the night.

YouTube Black Diner

In homage to the Southern hospitality and charm of the classic waffle diners of Atlanta, We created the YouTube Black Diner, where guests could pose for multi-cam shots and flaunt the fact that they are lit 24/7! Outside, creators enjoyed Southern breakfast bites from a real Waffle House Truck.

YouTube Black Roller Rink

Night two brought attendees to the legendary Cascade Skating Rink for a night of roller skating, old-school arcade games, and pop-up performances by skate crews and step teams.

Afrobeats Party

A late-night after-party featured a kente-patterned video booth, traditional dishes such as jollof rice and puff puffs, and contemporary pop music from West Africa and the diaspora.

Gifting

Creators left the summit with their own personalized Coke bottle, Fenty and Snob Life beauty products, custom Air Force 1s, a new Google Pixel 4 phone, a YouTube Black yearbook, and other swag.

Skyline Park

YouTube creators and brand personnel enjoyed breaks at Skyline Park, dubbed YouTube World (a nod to Travis Scott’s Astroworld concert tour). A giant slide, a drop tower ride, mini golf, carnival games, and the merch/prize stand were subtly branded to honor the Atlanta and African American music scene.