Pentagram's latest project introduces Twelvelabs' impressive new identity. This is an AI company that redefines the way machines understand video. At its heart, the brand marks conceptual shifts and places the video as a volume rather than as a frame in a linear sequence.
In the case of Twelvelabs, this reconstruction is more than technological advances, as it distinguishes them in a rapidly changing AI situation. For Jody Hudson-Powell and the Pentagram team, it was the foundation of an entire creative direction.
“The idea of 'video as video' has become a way to visualize their technology,” Jody explains. “Traditionally, AI sees videos as separate frames – individual moments, isolated. But Twelvelabs understands everything at once, and understands the whole interconnected.
Transforming such abstract and dynamic concepts into concrete brand identity was not a small feat. The sector is often filled with dense data visualization and corporate cliches, and Pentagram's Twelvelabs work stands out for its clarity and restraint. The identity, described by the team as “smart, elegant and alive,” not only enhances the appearance of the product, but also helps explain it.
“Abstract concepts can easily be complicated, but by focusing closely on “video as video,” every decision felt intentional and naturally clear,” Jody says.
An important part of this clarity is the use of diagrams and modular layouts by the system. These elements provide a heavy lift when it comes to representing Twelvelabs' complex technology so that it can be accessed by a wide range of audiences, from engineers and developers to corporate clients and creatives.
“When you get things back to what really matters, you get to understand the complexity,” Jody says. “We spent time refined the diagram and fully stated it. It's clear to everyone, but it's real for those who really know the technology. When the engineers clearly express their work and others have an intuitive understanding, you found an interesting foundation.”
What's impressive is how identity balances technical and emotionally. It is a visual language that is structured, but cold, not intelligent, and feels unsolicited. According to Jody, the tension was carefully adjusted.
“Technology can feel distant and cold, but it is built around human experiences, images, memories and moments,” he explains. “Our system provides clarity and structure, creating a natural space for these human elements to emerge, and balances intelligence and warmth.”
Motion also plays an important role in realizing your brand. Given that Twelvelabs' platform revolves around continuous, connected reasoning, it makes sense to reflect that logic and be subtle yet intentional.
“Movement always means something subtle,” says Jody. “Every movement reflected the platform's ongoing reasoning, ensuring room for gentle expressiveness and playfulness did not take away clarity.
One of the most distinctive elements of the new identity is the symbol of the horse. On the surface, I agree with Muybridge's pioneering photography studies of movement and symbolic references of all visual techniques. However, there is a deeper connection as Twelvelabs has already named the AI model after the horse. The Pentagram team simply brought that story to the forefront.
“In many cases, the best ideas are already there and just waiting to be noticed,” Jody says. “We can simply amplify that story, bring it back to Muybridge's historical image, and clearly communicate motion and intelligence in a fresh yet familiar way.”
Throughout the project, the team had to consider the diversity of Twelvelabs audiences, from developers and researchers to large enterprise clients and the broader creative community. The result is an ID system that is easy to access without simplification and allows users to meet with all levels of expertise.
“We aimed for a universal tone. Everyone was clear, direct and welcoming, regardless of their expertise,” Jody says. “Precision doesn't have to be complicated, clarity is invited to everyone. Finding a voice that feels calm, clear and honest means that each person meets exactly where they are.”
The result is an identity that is more than just repackaging complex AI technologies. It embodies the very qualities that make Twelvelabs' approach innovative: interconnected, intelligent, and obviously human.
