Talent Connect

Crafting a story that takes you there

As the talent industry keeps changing faster than ever, it’s never been more important to pause. Step away from the noise and turbulence that comes with every new innovation, and take a moment to reflect on what it means for our work, our people, and us.

This year, Talent Connect is a respite. A chance to fly away to a resort in Phoenix, Arizona, and connect with more executive, clairvoyant minds. Brainstorm what this new age of AI will look like. And take a moment to get real answers.

Away from the trap of urgency and a restless world comes the theme for this event: Where possibility works.

Designing in harmony

There’s a need for new foundations as the talent industry marches towards the age of AI. Inspired by the architecture of the Biltmore, a Frank Lloyd Wright original, we concept a bespoke visual identity around the use of building blocks. These layer into rectangles, consistent grids, and a chance to play with new dimensions. The colors tie into key flourishes on site but also brings out our optimism for AI.

Defining the look and voices

The photoshoot for this event is a push to get LinkedIn away from its typical style. Eye level. Around the office. Safe. So we partner with photographer Ben Ingram (Visual Artists) to capture a few Fortune 500 leaders in a studio warehouse in Berkeley. We want to draw their confidence through expression and unexpected angles. Vibrancy through lighting, texture, and wardrobe. And I spend a few moments interviewing each executive to understand their perspective on AI, which will show up during in key touch points.

Opening with a complete reset

Eight months later, the event is about to start in Phoenix. Our Brand Creative team gets the opening moment – a chance to set the tone and expectations for the entire thing. We use a short film to capture the emotions of the AI zeitgeist, not to induce anxiety but as reminder that this event is an escape. A chance to step away from the AI madness, to reflect on what it can become, and act on it. We lean in to the main stage design by scaling the film across three of its giant screens.

Welcoming the Age of AI

New AI products and features are coming. So are Fortune 500 leaders that move more than a billion dollars of revenue. We’re asked to develop an immersive interactive experience that tees up the announcements without much product knowledge. Our idea is to show the history of opportunities since the Stone Age, now that there will be more in this Age of AI. Guests use badges to “clock in” and are seated at a desk inside of a small theater. We premiere our film but create interactive moments using projection over the desks, revealing insights about what’s to come from LinkedIn and its AI.

Playing with insights

Each year, Global Talent Trends takes the spotlight. It’s a chance for LinkedIn to show thought leadership across the industry. So we brought new and surprising statistics about the world of work and the adoption of AI to this year’s Talent Connect through several rounds of putt putt golf. Each hole tells the story about a key trend, and what talent execs can do now to drive their people forward.

Crafting a love letter to the world of talent

To end the three day summit, a love letter. A film that recognizes the invisible community of talent professionals and leaders on the frontlines of constant change. To pull this off, we create a script and video using placeholder photos months in advance. But the idea is to photograph real guests at the event. Over the course of ten hours, we capture more than 100 executives at the Biltmore. We select 89 images from thousands overnight and deliver a film hours before its premiere on a hard drive  our producer sprints to deliver.

Wrapping it up

“This was simply a master class in event strategy, management, and execution. More importantly, how everyone showed up in a One LinkedIn way was beyond inspiring. Amazing job to everyone involved.“ – Ryan Roslansky, LinkedIn CEO