A friendly brand refresh, website, and product design for a global entertainment and events company.
Challenge
Founded in 2012 by Dan Hermann and Sean McGrail, Paint Nite set out to change how people hang out. Hosted nationwide at local bars, Paint Nite events are run by charismatic hosts who MC the night and teach you how to paint a selected artwork. It’s an easy way to try something new, meet new people, and have a fun night out with friends over food and drinks.
The first Paint Nite started as a concept event in the basement of a Boston bar. As the idea caught on and events multiplied into the thousands, the team saw that their app and website were falling short. Guests needed better ways to browse and book events, save favorites, and discover more about hosts and venues. Paint Nite also wanted to bring vibe to its event feeds, spotlight venues, and highlight the unique backgrounds of its hosts.
Solution
Studio Piko partnered with Paint Nite’s founders and product director to completely reimagine the website and refresh the brand’s identity.
The new identity puts Paint Nite’s signature magenta front and center, replacing the original eight-color palette that often faded into the background. Three new accent colors, designed for screens, add energy to the interface. The main logo was redrawn for clarity and legibility on tablets and phones.
The event feed was rebuilt using a flexible module system, making it easy to showcase a wider range of events and details. Instagram photos and eclectic art info bits bring the feed to life, showing the energy of each night. One of Paint Nite's recurring pain points before the redesign was the challenge of displaying both vertical and horizontal paintings. Auto-height masonry modules were introduced, turning a pain point into a visually dynamic feed of posts in all shapes and sizes.
Event search was streamlined with a larger, more intuitive search bar, live results, a comprehensive map view, and robust search options for power users. The booking and reservation flow became more visual and straightforward, rounding out the user experience.
Venue and host profiles were redesigned to feature richer content and encourage social interaction, allowing Paint Nite to better highlight its network of venues and hosts. Lastly, a playful “Night Mode” easter egg transforms the page into a magenta canvas with paint drips after a period of inactivity. In response to Covid, Paint Nite expanded beyond in-person events to offer virtual experiences and a range of classes, and now operates as Paint Nite by Yaymaker.
Metrics
Today, Paint Nite events are held in over 3,300 venues worldwide, including Argentina, Canada, South Africa, and the U.K.
Client Paint Nite
Program From Product to Brand
Services Brand Refresh Brand Strategy Product Design Illustration
Industry Entertainment Technology
Photography Paint Nite
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