Adobe | Immersive World Building

Adobe MAX: projection mapping to power a brand pivot

Experiential Design

Art Direction

Role: Creative director Partner: Kenwood Experiences Event: Adobe MAX 2012 Result: Largest projection mapping of its time and record viewership

Overview

Adobe was moving its creative software to a subscription model, a risky shift for a loyal audience of designers, developers and marketers.

At Adobe MAX, its flagship conference, the company needed more than a product launch. It needed a cultural moment that proved it still led creative innovation.

Adobe MAX 2012 opener was the world’s largest projection mapping at the time running over 1 million pixels per second.

The deeper lesson: shaping complexity into something people connect with. It’s the same work I do in healthcare today.

My role

As creative director, in partnership with Kenwood Experiences, I led concept and design for the event experience.

Researched audience segments to shape the event’s story.
Concepted a projection-mapped opener planned over a full year.
Crafted two keynote experiences and an awards program.
Worked directly with Adobe executives, producers and technical teams to protect every detail.

Concept render for Adobe MAX showing how mixed media could be mapped across large-format projection surfaces for keynotes, interstitial content, and live stage transitions.

Live stage capture from Adobe MAX “Sneaks,” where projection design extended the environment across multiple screens to frame presenters and highlight experimental product demos.

Approach

Open with a “wow” moment. The opener set the emotional tone for the whole conference.
Prototype physically. With no CAD models of the venue, we measured on site and built a cardboard scale model to plan projection angles.
Design past the room. Keynotes and awards were built to travel across livestream and social.

Solution

Impact

The largest projection-mapped experience of its time, pushing nearly one million pixels per second.
Record-breaking livestream and on-demand viewership.
Widespread positive coverage across the design community at a critical business moment.

Adobe’s pivot landed as a celebration, not a price change.

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