Interactive Strategies

NAACP
Image
Awards

Events / Nominee

Interactive Strategies

Events

Nominee

"From impactful visuals to immersive motion graphics, our design and code work together to take visitors backstage." Interactive Strategies

Q: Can you describe your project and the concept behind it?

A: The NAACP Image Awards is an annual ceremony that celebrates outstanding achievements in the arts. The event continues NAACP's proud tradition of social advocacy, spanning 80+ categories: film, TV, music, and more. In its 52nd year, the Image Awards needed to reimagine its site. The vision: a front-end experience that embodies the excitement of the event, and an effortless back-end that allows admins to keep pace with the award-show lifecycle.

Q: Tell us about your initial moodboard, wireframe, or prototype. How did things change throughout the process?

A: We began with high-fidelity wireframes that communicate the website’s IA, key functionality, and content hierarchy. From there we worked up a variety of options for the look-and-feel of the new site, taking cues from the client’s best-loved sites and aesthetic goals. These designs evolved as we collaborated with the Image Awards team—especially as we dove into animation and scroll effects, which truly make the site what it is today.

Q: What influenced your chosen technical approach, and how did it go beyond past methods?

A: With the pandemic, it was crucial to create a highly flexible, customizable website so our client could easily update content, while bringing the spirit of the show to life. To deliver on this, we paired a modular, component-based design system with WordPress’ intuitive CMS. Our client is now empowered to own their content—seamlessly transitioning from nominee announcements and audience voting to day-of-event happenings and post-event follow-up.

When did you experience a breakthrough or an "a-ha" moment during this project?

The Image Awards ceremony is prestigious, vibrant and inspirational. Our a-ha was to convey that energy through an experience that makes users feel like they have a VIP pass. While the site has a modular structure, you wouldn’t know it. We took special care to craft a seamless design, with elements that feel custom and integrated. From impactful visuals to immersive motion graphics, our design and code work together to take visitors backstage.

Q: What web technologies, tools, and resources did you use to develop this?

A: Prototyping & design software: Axure, Sketch, Adobe Illustrator CMS: WordPress CDN: Fastly Languages: PHP, HTML5, Twig, JavaScript, SCSS Integrations: Twitter API

Q: How did you balance your own creative ideas and technical capabilities with a fair representation of the client’s brand?

A: This project was a true collaboration. The client pushed us and we pushed ourselves: to go outside of our comfort zone, to be big and bold, to palpably communicate the vibrancy and the passion of the brand. We leveraged photography from the Image Awards as a window into the event—and our key to embodying the brand. Through design and a keen eye for movement and timing, we convey the dynamic presence of the world’s greatest artists.

Q: How did the final product meet or exceed your expectations?

A: The new website has thrived through two event seasons. The award-show cycle is fast paced and ever-changing. Each year, the event takes on a new visual identity. Over the past two years, the event has evolved through a pandemic and a shift to hybrid events. We’re proud to have built a solid platform and design system that has let the Image Awards team flourish in the face of uncertainty and change.

Q: Why is this an exciting time to create new digital experiences? How does your team fit into this?

A: The pandemic has forced organizations to take a long, hard look at whether their digital brands are delivering. Our agency’s “question everything” approach means that all of our work is rooted in research that balances what our clients want with what their users want, creating more resilient experiences in the process. By leading with strategic insights, our clients can plan for the future but also pivot for the unexpected.