Gerson Lopez
Gerson Lopez
As Creative Director for ION<athon>, I built a bold, modular visual system that fused ION’s brand with the language of coding. From a < >-driven logo lock-up to a cheeky rubber duck mascot, the identity energized the event, engaged participants, and created a scalable foundation for future hackathons.
When ION approached me to create the branding for their internal-and-external talent hackathon series, I knew this wasn’t going to be just another event logo. The project had to live within the company’s existing brand identity, but also stand out as something fresh, inspiring, and scalable for future editions — ION<athon> 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and beyond.
The visual identity had to be both anchored in ION’s established brand system and flexible enough to evolve over time. This meant building a design language that could adapt to each iteration while remaining instantly recognizable as part of the ION family.
I started with ION’s custom typeface, crafting a lock-up that felt inherently connected to the brand while speaking directly to the world of coding. Using familiar syntax from programming languages — characters like </> and < > — I created a modular visual system that could be applied across a variety of touchpoints: award stickers, category icons, event posters, and merchandise.
To inject a layer of personality and approachability, I introduced a mascot: the rubber duck, a quirky but beloved tool coders use to “debug” their thoughts by talking problems through out loud. The duck became the friendly face of the event, appearing on promotional materials and even delivering instructions in a playful, engaging way.
The ION<athon> visual system debuted at the India-region hackathon to an overwhelmingly positive response. Attendees and organizers praised not only the bold, cohesive look but also the strategic thinking behind it. The brand identity elevated the event’s atmosphere, made it more memorable, and set the foundation for a consistent visual presence in future hackathons.