Catalyst TV Bumper

Broadcast Design & Brand Integration

TYPE: Academic Project - Motion Graphics

TIMELINE: 6 weeks (Sept - October 2022)

ROLE: Solo Designer - Motion Graphics, Brand Integration, Animation Direction, Storyboarding

Tools Used:

PROJECT OVERVIEW

This project involved creating a 4-8 second animated bumper for the Catalyst TV series on Arizona PBS. Catalyst, a prime-time series developed by ASU students, showcases groundbreaking research at Arizona State University. The animated bumper needed to increase brand awareness while maintaining the series' educational, inspirational, and innovative tone—positioning Catalyst alongside high-production science shows like "Nova."

Project Goals:

  • Create a dynamic, engaging bumper that captures attention within 4-8 seconds

  • Reflect Catalyst's brand identity and mission through cohesive visual design

  • Communicate the series' core message: groundbreaking science is happening in Arizona

  • Engage Arizona PBS viewers aged 18-55 (residents, students, educators, researchers)

  • Demonstrate proficiency in animation principles and motion graphics

THE CHALLENGE

Creating an effective TV bumper presented multiple design challenges within specific constraints::

Key Design Challenges:

  • Message Compression: Communicate Catalyst's mission—showcasing ASU research—in 4-8 seconds.

  • Brand Guideline Constraints: Work within a specific brand library (simplified geometric icons, limited color palette of navy, teal, and orange) that didn't visually align with the website, requiring strategic design choices to maintain brand consistency while creating depth and credibility

  • Audience Engagement: Capture attention of diverse viewers (ages 18-55) and inspire anticipation for the series within seconds

  • Animation Execution: Apply animation principles (staging, exaggeration, secondary action) while maintaining professional, broadcast-ready quality

The challenge was creating a bumper that felt polished and high-production (comparable to Nova-quality content) while working within academic constraints and adhering to established brand guidelines.

RESEARCH & STRATEGY

To create an effective broadcast bumper, I researched successful TV design patterns and analyzed Catalyst's existing brand presence and audience expectations.

Bumper Design Research

What Makes Effective Bumpers Work:

  • Dynamic, vibrant visuals capture viewer attention within the first second—establishing immediate interest

  • Concise messaging communicated through both visual and textual elements ensures clarity in limited time

  • Seamless animations and smooth transitions maintain professional appearance and sustain viewer engagement

  • Consistent brand integration (logos, color schemes, typography) reinforces brand identity and recognition

  • Clear narrative flow with defined beginning, middle, and end creates compelling mini-story that feels intentional, not rushed

Examples of effective bumper design demonstrating these principles

Arizona PBS Catalyst Brand Analysis:

I analyzed the Arizona PBS website and the official brand library provided by ASU to understand Catalyst's visual approach. I studied how the website used high-quality, realistic scientific imagery to convey credibility—close-ups of equipment, research in progress, authentic lab environments. This observation became essential to my design strategy.

Brand Strategy:

Target Audience:

  • Demographics: Arizona residents, students, educators, researchers, ages 18-55

  • Psychographics: Arizona PBS viewers interested in state-of-the-art science and innovative research

  • Tone: Educational, inspirational, innovative (but not overly academic or intimidating)

Brand Promise: "Groundbreaking science is happening right in our backyards, and Catalyst is your tour guide to explore it."

Design Objective: Create a 4-8 second animated bumper that positions Catalyst as Arizona's premier science education series—professional, engaging, and worthy of viewer attention and anticipation.

DESIGN PROCESS

Approach

My approach centered on translating Catalyst's brand mission into dynamic motion graphics. By grounding design decisions in research insights and Arizona PBS's established brand guidelines, I developed an animated bumper that balances visual impact with clear storytelling.

I began by studying effective broadcast design patterns and Catalyst's existing visual language, then explored storyboard concepts that could communicate the brand message within tight time constraints. Through iterative keyframing and animation refinement, I applied animation principles to create a polished, professional bumper that felt intentional at every frame.

Utilizing Arizona PBS's Catalyst TV program brand guidelines was essential in shaping a design that resonates with the target audience while maintaining visual consistency.

These established brand elements—the specific typography, limited color palette, and simplified geometric icons—provided strategic structure for the creative process. The brand guidelines didn't constrain creativity; they informed it. By understanding why specific colors and fonts were chosen for Catalyst, I could apply them strategically in motion to enhance their impact and reinforce brand recognition. The result was an animated bumper that felt authentic to Catalyst's existing identity while introducing fresh motion design energy and visual depth through realistic scientific imagery.

Final Design Outcome

The final animated bumper for Catalyst exemplifies a seamless blend of informative storytelling and captivating motion graphics. By focusing on clarity, impact, and animation principles, the bumper successfully communicates Catalyst's mission—that groundbreaking science is happening in Arizona—while meeting broadcast standards and maintaining viewer engagement.

Recognition & Feedback

The bumper received an A grade with specific instructor praise:

  • "Great job with applying these animation principles. I can see many, including staging, exaggeration, and secondary action."

  • "Great job implementing some changes based on what your classmates suggested. This is the iterative work we are looking for!"

Peer feedback highlighted the seamless integration of Catalyst's brand elements and the engaging, professional animation style. This recognition validated the approach: intentional design grounded in research, strategic brand integration, and openness to iterative refinement.

Brand Integration

Creative Brief

The creative brief established clear objectives, target audience parameters, and brand messaging guidelines that informed every design decision throughout the project.

Storyboard

The bumper storyboard uses dynamic visuals to tell a compelling mini-story within seconds. Informed by research into effective broadcast design and Catalyst's visual identity, the storyboard establishes a clear narrative arc—opening with attention-capturing imagery, building momentum through animation, and closing with brand affirmation. Each panel reflects Catalyst's color palette and typography while emphasizing themes of scientific discovery and innovation. The storyboard served as the blueprint for the animation production, ensuring each sequence aligned with the overall narrative and timing constraints.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

This project showed me how important it is to ground motion graphics in purpose. Rather than adding animations because I could, I stayed focused on whether each movement served the message and story.

I'm grateful for the feedback I received throughout the process—it really improved the work. And while the constraints felt limiting at first (4-8 seconds, specific brand guidelines, broadcast quality), they actually forced me to be more intentional. Sometimes the best creative decisions come from having fewer options, not more

Skills Applied

  • Motion graphics and animation principles (staging, exaggeration, secondary action)

  • Brand integration and guideline adherence

  • Storyboarding and visual narrative development

  • Time-based storytelling and concise communication

  • Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, and Illustrator proficiency

  • Iterative design process and peer feedback incorporation

  • Broadcast-quality video production

  • Animation timing, pacing, and visual hierarchy

Keyframes & Animation

The keyframes showcase engaging animation techniques that guide the visual narrative. They demonstrate the application of animation principles—staging to direct viewer attention, exaggeration to add energy and appeal, secondary action to enhance polish and sophistication. Each frame contributes to a cohesive visual experience that feels intentional and broadcast-ready, reinforcing Catalyst's positioning as a high-quality science program.

Final Animated Bumper

The complete animated sequence brings all design elements together—storyboard vision, keyframe precision, and animation principles executed at broadcast quality.