2AM-DM

At 2AM, the world quiets, and emotions surface unfiltered. It is both the night’s deepest hush and the moment when thoughts emerge raw and vulnerable. Texting at 2AM is an act of honesty—where love, longing, and unspoken emotions take shape in messages sent in search of connection. The Oslo-based artist duo 2AM-DM captures this fleeting moment and transforms it into a powerful artistic expression.

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In collaboration with Sony Music Norway, Studio Herrström has turned the raw emotions of late-night texting into a striking typographic expression. Inspired by the vulnerability of 2AM messages—unsent confessions, unfiltered thoughts, and the longing for connection—the design captures the intensity of love, hesitation, and human connection in its purest form.

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How do you capture the deeply personal and emotionally charged moment of a 2AM text in a visual identity? Sony Music Norway, together with the artists, sought to translate the essence of late-night longing into a design that feels both intimate and universally relatable. The challenge was to create a typographic system that conveys raw emotion while maintaining a sense of elegance and cultural relevance.

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Studio Herrström took an unconventional approach to typography, beginning not with letterforms but with the spaces between them. This retrograde method mirrors the hesitation of an unsent message—the pause before pressing send. The typography was built within a square structure, reminiscent of a message window, a contained space where emotions are held before release.

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Within the type design, subtle heart-like forms emerge, reinforcing themes of love and emotional vulnerability. To deepen its cultural resonance, intricate patterns inspired by traditional Norwegian textiles and craftwork were woven into the typography. These elements bridge nostalgia, passion, and modernity, making the design deeply personal while connecting to Scandinavian design traditions.

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The final typography is more than just a visual system—it embodies the emotional weight of unsent messages and unspoken words. By immersing ourselves in the cultural and emotional nuances of late-night communication, we crafted a design that resonates both personally and universally. Integrating elements of tradition, nostalgia, and contemporary aesthetics, the project captures the essence of longing and connection. This work exemplifies our belief that great design is rooted in deep cultural understanding, thoughtful research, and sensitivity to human emotion.

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