American Petroleum Institute
State of American Energy 2021
🏆 The Telly Awards 2021
Silver Telly Winner in Branded Content
Silver Telly Winner in Virtual Events & Experience
Objective
State of American Energy (SOAE) 2021 was API’s first all-digital, virtual event. Under the theme “Building the Future,” the report positioned U.S. oil and natural gas as key to economic recovery, innovation, and environmental progress. The event highlighted the industry’s role in post-COVID recovery, emissions reduction, and community support, with the virtual format expanding access through livestreams, panels, and an interactive report.
Roles
Design lead
Branding
Web Design
Wireframe
Prototyping
Deliverables
Event websites
Interactive Report website
Infographics
Social Media Graphics
E-Newsletters
Screen Contents
Stage background
Timeframe
16 weeks
Oct 2020 - Jan 2021
Livestream: Jan 2021
Concept
The visual concept for “Building the Future” brings API’s identity to life through dynamic waves flowing in their brand’s colors; blue, red and white, designed to echo the signature curve of the API logo. These waves represents the steady flow of energy that powers communities, industries, and innovation, reflecting the oil and natural gas sector’s role in fueling progress. The smooth, layered forms convey innovation and adaptability, while their upward, fluid motion symbolizes growth and optimism for the future.
The problem of the “Report Website”
The site presented a challenge due to its scope and depth. At nearly 60 pages, the project involved delivering dense information, with the client preferring to preserve linear text rather than condense or transform it into highly visual storytelling. This made translating the report into a digital format particularly complex. The resulting site would be a long-scroll experience, creating the challenge of keeping audiences engaged while presenting information-heavy content. The goal was to design a digital experience that preserved the report’s integrity while making it approachable, organized, and easy to navigate.
Solution
With client’s specific desire, the report was transformed into an interactive website. As a team, we identified key points for animations, videos, and other interactive elements to make the content engaging and encourage deeper exploration.
Results
The event attracted over 2,000 online attendees from around the world, including the United States, France, Germany, Argentina, Thailand, etc. 90% higher than in-person attendance in 2020. Attendees actively participated through live chat and Q&A during the livestream. They also had access to the interactive report, which allowed them to engage with videos, data visualizations, animation, and social media sharing. As expected, the report site featured a Trivia game at the start of the event, with all questions answerable using the report, 96% of participants answered them correctly.
