SXSW Sydney Unlocked is an exciting new offshoot of SXSW Sydney 2025, offering free access to some of the best events the festival has to offer.

It hosts a variety of activities including brand activations, tech and gaming demos, live music, and sunset showcases spanning across the city, with events at Tumbalong Park, ICC Sydney, and the Seymour Centre.

Continuing our close collaboration, SXSW Sydney approached us to create a distinct identity for Unlocked that reflected the accessibility of the event while building upon the established SXSW Sydney identity. In response, we developed a flexible and impactful design system focused on interaction, play, and the openness of SXSW Sydney Unlocked.

To bring Unlocked to life, we designed an identity honing in on the event’s mission of being free, fun, and open to everyone. We introduced a simplified, vibrant colour palette and a graphic system inspired by tactile, tile-like forms to evoke a sense of momentum and exploration. These forms became the building blocks of the identity, applied across multiple brand elements including the sub-brand logos. Our intention was to create a clear and adaptable system that could be implemented across a range of touchpoints, from out-of-home media to social media content and signage.

The identity for Unlocked balances boldness and approachability by prioritising colour, graphic forms, and key messaging. Limiting the design to these core elements enabled us to create a dynamic and modular system that was distinguishable from the core brand, yet instantly recognisable through typographic hierarchy and the SXSW Sydney logo. By crafting an identity that elicits an energetic and welcoming presence across the city, Unlocked invites a broader audience to engage with the diverse experiences that SXSW Sydney has to offer.