As nightclubs have grown in size and capacity, there is only room for one or two clubs at the top in any given city—and from a branding perspective, there is little differentiation amongst the competitive set.

With a name already decided by the client, we were tasked with creating a logo and brand identity for North America’s biggest nightclub. With 100,000 square feet, 120,000,000 pixels-worth of LED screens and 20,000 clubgoers per day, KAOS reigns as North America’s largest nightclub. To match its scope and caliber, we created an innovative brand that amplifies its ambition.

Context:

With 100,000 square feet, 120,000,000 pixels-worth of LED screens and 20,000 clubgoers, KAOS reigns as North America’s largest nightclub. To match its scope and caliber, we created an innovative brand that amplifies its ambition.

Idea:

We didn’t just design a logo. We created a brand designed by real-time sound and data.

Our solution was to develop a bespoke system that gives every performer and clubgoer an opportunity to create a unique, reactive audio fingerprint using their voice or music.

We built an online logo generator, powered by real-time sound and data, that uses 16 audio variables to affect 60 visual variables to create an infinite number of audio fingerprints—enabling KAOS to personalize every piece of communication.

All of the data for this project was mined via a custom digital product. This product works across desktop and mobile, translating sonic data into visuals in real-time, exporting them at high resolution for users, musicians and KAOS’ marketing team.

The system can decipher the following audio data variables from voice and music: Pitch, BPM, Bass, RMS, Energy, ZCR, Amplitude, Power, Centroid, Flatness, Slope, Rolloff, Spread, Skewness, Kurtosis, Chroma, Loudness, Spread and Sharpness.

It then translates and maps the unique audio data to the below visual variables, rendering out an entirely custom audio finger print in real-time.

Count Ring Spline Radius, Ring Thickness Wave Amplitude, Off Spline Ease, Tube Twist, Ring Twist, Z Offset Base, Z Offset by Feature, Smooth Iteration, Ring Wire Radius, Use Ease, Inner Ease, Outer Ease, Live Intensity, Noise Intensity 1, Noise Intensity 2, Movement Max, Change Color D, Change Color In, Change Color G and more — 60 visual variables in total.

In short, the unique audio data of one’s voice or music would shape the audio fingerprint in real-time. The higher the pitch, the cooler the tone of the color of the audio fingerprint. While Bass-heavy sounds, create curvier, more circular shapes.

We built the generative brand and its interactive component to work for anyone across all media.

Knowing this, we designed the logo generator to work on laptop, desktop and mobile. We built the generator using WebGL and a Javascript canvas then, using the Meyda Audio API, we extracted the values of the audio variables and plugged those into visual variables—all powered by real-time data. This enabled us to put a 3D logo generator, transformed by voice and sound, into the hands of everyone.

Using Notch’s visual creation engine and real-time capabilities, we also extended this system to work within the physical club environment, ensuring the graphics during performances were audio reactive in real-time.

In all, creating a generative logo has enabled us to personalize every aspect of KAOS’ communication. From branded teaser videos and posters for musicians like Cardi B, Travis Scott and Marshmello (all stamped with their own unique audio fingerprints) to club visuals and merchandise, the logo generator enables KAOS to literally capture the energy of the club in a way that can never be replicated.

We did all of this with an incredible team of partners and clients, in about three months.

The new data driven brand identity launched on January 23, 2019 on createkaos.palms.com, across social media, paid digital, OOH in LA and Las Vegas markets, and across celebrity talent social channels—from Cardi B to Skrillex. Thousands of users have created and shared their own data-powered audio fingerprints using #createkaos.

Since the brand launch on January 23, the nightclub had sold out numerous events prior to its official opening date of April 6, 2019. The new KAOS brand, in conjunction with its celebrity talent, has also garnered millions of earned media impressions—setting a new standard for what nightclub branding can be.

In all, the true metric is about helping drive the business. Opening night on April 6, 2019 was booked beyond capacity — and delivered well beyond revenue KPIs (confidential).