Zendesk Relate 2026
Summary
Art direction for Relate 2026, Zendesk's flagship conference. I helped develop one of the core creative directions, then rolled it out across the event's email and social kits.
Services
Branding
Art Direction, Email & Social
Year
2026
Timeline
Q3 to Q4 2025
Tools
Figma, After Effects, Gemini, Asana
Team
Francisco Loreto (Brand Designer), Freya Dobrindt (Lead Art Direction Designer), Victor Durán (Creative Director), with the Zendesk Creative Studio
Context
Relate is Zendesk's flagship annual conference and the company's biggest brand moment of the year. The 2026 edition came right after a full rebrand, so the direction had to read as unmistakably Zendesk, not as a second identity competing with one the company was still rolling out.
Insights
When a rebrand is still this fresh, the stronger move is to extend it, not to stack another new system on top. Knowing when to stop exploring is its own design skill.
The Problem
Early concepts kept missing. Every new direction risked fragmenting an identity that had barely launched, and the team needed to recognize the moment to stop generating options and commit to building one.
The Solution
I worked as one of four brand designers under creative director Victor Durán and lead art direction designer Freya Dobrindt, with the wider Zendesk Creative Studio. I was integral to the conceptual development of one of the explored directions. Once it was selected, I implemented it across the event's email templates and social kits, turning a broad concept into finished, production ready assets.
The Outcome
Relate 2026 drew 18,200 registrations and generated $5.1M in pipeline, with one identity carried consistently from the campaign through every event touchpoint.
