Spotify HYPE+

Creating waves in Hong Kong’s ambitious hip-hop scene is no coincidence. In the down-to-earth Cantonese rap scene, with its dense urban landscape, artists, rappers, and producers express their hunger, passion, and determination through hip-hop with a unique local touch. Through carefully orchestrated processes, they tell their stories in distinctive ways to stand out while staying true to the art form.

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Spotify assigned Studio Herrström the task of designing the visual identity for HYPE+, an editorial playlist dedicated to showcasing emerging hip-hop artists and rappers in Hong Kong. This visual identity is built on a brand strategy specifically tailored for the editorial platform, ensuring it resonates with the local target audience. True to its name, the playlist features the most buzzed-about artists in a city of over 8 million people.

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Drawing inspiration from the city of Hong Kong and the creative process, our concept centers around a unique grid that reflects the meticulously planned urban environment. Within this framework, we present the letters "HYPE+" in an abstract manner as a framing device, allowing artists to be showcased in various ways and ensuring they receive the recognition they deserve. This strategic approach allows artists to creatively show up in multiple spaces within the grid, mirroring how they create waves in the music scene.