40 Under 40

This year’s 40 Under 40 concept centered on travel and destination — a theme chosen to celebrate the rich diversity of Hawaii and the many different backgrounds, nationalities, and cultures that make up its community. The challenge was finding a visual idea that felt personal and specific, not generic.

The concept extended far beyond the logo. Guests arrived to receive a physical passport — designed to look and feel like the real thing, stamped with the Pacific Business News 40 Under 40 class of 2019 — turning the theme into a keepsake from the moment they walked in. Every touchpoint, from the honoree announcements to the event program, was designed within the same travel document system.

Much of the visual direction drew from my own passport and the stamps collected from different countries — real references that gave the campaign an authentic, well-traveled feel. That same language carried through the full campaign: teaser ads, announcement ads, signage, and the event slideshow, all rooted in the same stamp-inspired system.