Annotated Bibliography

This article explores the emotional and psychological benefits of EDM festivals, highlighting the power of sensory stimulation, communal euphoria, and emotional release. Dougherty positions raving as a source of mental wellness, describing how the experience cultivates joy, catharsis, and liberation. She connects the festival environment to a kind of collective therapy, where music becomes a channel for connection and transformation.
Though hosted on Medium, the article is authored by a cultural analyst and provides thoughtful, research-informed perspectives. The tone is reflective but supported by examples and cultural references, contributing to its credibility. It is current and relevant to the emotional component of brand development for an EDM experience.
The information reinforced the importance of designing Pulse Odyssey as an emotionally immersive experience. It supported the idea that the brand should emphasize personal transformation through collective euphoria. These insights guided messaging choices and helped solidify the tagline “Pulse Pounding Beats.”

This article explores the emotional and psychological benefits of EDM festivals, highlighting the power of sensory stimulation, communal euphoria, and emotional release. Dougherty positions raving as a source of mental wellness, describing how the experience cultivates joy, catharsis, and liberation. She connects the festival environment to a collective. This article outlines how various line qualities—straight, curved, rhythmic- can direct attention, convey energy, and establish tone. It highlights the emotional role of line-work in composition and how it affects the viewer’s perception of movement and structure. The article provides visual examples to clarify how line choices influence the flow and mood of a layout.
Though not peer-reviewed, the article is a widely accepted design reference and offers accessible insights with strong practical application. DesignMantic is a known resource in the design education space, and its content aligns with industry norms. The source is current, visually supported, and practical for brand development.
The source informed the brand’s line-based visual identity. Sleek linear elements guided design flow and momentum, while wave-like curves symbolized sound waves and audience energy. This helped unify aesthetic and emotional cues across assets, from print materials to web animations.

Airey details essential logo characteristics, including simplicity, scalability, distinctiveness, and symbolic alignment with the broader brand. He stresses the role of logos as brand entry points rather than comprehensive expressions of brand identity. Through real-world examples, he illustrates how logos must be clear and recognizable across contexts.
As a respected industry expert, Airey’s work is widely used in academic and professional contexts. The book is published by a reputable design imprint and has been adopted in design courses globally. It is credible, well-structured, and applicable to branding projects.
The source directly influenced the Cyclops astronaut logo. The final design prioritized simplicity, clear shape language, and instant memorability—key traits from Airey’s framework. It also clarified the role of the logo as a strong, symbolic anchor within a larger identity system.

EDMProd. (n.d.). Competitor analysis in EDM. EDMProd. https://edmprod.com

This article examines how successful EDM brands craft identities using cultural symbols, genre-relevant visuals, and consistent messaging. It emphasizes standing out while respecting sub-cultural norms and aesthetic expectations. It also includes examples from top-tier festivals and record labels to contextualize its recommendations.
EDMProd is a reputable platform for artists and creatives, offering credible, targeted advice. The article is tailored to the EDM space, making it directly relevant to Pulse Odyssey’s industry. It demonstrates a clear understanding of branding mechanics specific to the music sector.
The insights shaped early design decisions, such as integrating geometric repetition, mythic motifs, and minimalist structure to resonate with EDM fans. It also justified stylistic parallels with leading EDM brands while maintaining visual distinction.

The Logo Company. (n.d.). The psychology of color in logo design. The Logo Company. https://thelogocompany.net/psychology-of-color-in-logo-design/

This guide explores how colors influence emotion and perception. It explains color associations and strategies for emotional impact, highlighting how color selection affects brand tone and audience engagement. The article breaks down common color meanings in a branding context.
The article is educational and supported by professional design rationale, making it a valid tool for emotional branding. The Logo Company is a commercial branding firm, and its content reflects real-world client engagement. It is not scholarly but is professionally useful.
This informed Pulse Odyssey’s palette of neon green, purple, and electric blue, reinforcing the intended mood of euphoria, energy, and immersion. The color choices were aligned with the brand’s focus on vibrancy and night-based visibility.

Hooks, R. (2018, December 11). The illusion of movement in graphic design. 99designs. https://99designs.com/blog/tips/movement-in-graphic-design/

Hooks discusses visual strategies for creating perceived movement in static design, including layout rhythm, directional flow, and repetition. The article provides visual examples and explains how motion can be simulated through shapes, spacing, and composition.
Published by 99designs, this source is both credible and highly practical for visual storytelling. The platform is widely respected among freelance designers and brand developers. Its insights are directly applicable to layout and composition.
The article guided the integration of wave and flare motifs within branding visuals and animated assets, enhancing the brand’s kinetic energy. These design strategies made Pulse Odyssey’s materials feel dynamic even when viewed statically.

This course teaches how to animate typography for maximum expression and impact. Saltz explores how motion affects legibility, hierarchy, and brand emotion, especially in high-energy visual systems. The lessons are supported by case studies and professional motion design examples.
The course is produced by LinkedIn Learning and authored by a recognized expert, ensuring accuracy and relevance. Saltz is an authority in typography education, and the course is structured for design professionals.
It shaped Pulse Odyssey’s typographic identity, especially the animated cyberpunk lettering used in VIP materials and digital ads. These typographic choices emphasized movement, energy, and digital fluency across brand platforms.

Royer Communications. (2023). Designing for different print materials: Creating a cohesive brand. Royer Communications. https://royercomm.com/designing-for-different-print-materials-creating-a-cohesive-brand

This article offers strategies for maintaining brand consistency across physical media: clothing, packaging, and marketing collateral. It emphasizes color fidelity, texture adaptation, and layout optimization across diverse substrates.
Written by a professional design firm, the article is credible and applicable. Royer Communications works with clients in branding and communications, giving the content practical authority.
This source informed print asset preparation. It included color calibration, texture management, and layout adaptation. These were applied to water bottles, apparel, and holographic tickets. It helped ensure consistent visual integrity across merchandise and packaging.

Whitenton, K. (2020). How to test visual design. Nielsen Norman Group. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/testing-visual-design/

Whitenton introduces methods such as first-impression testing, A/B testing, and eye-tracking to measure visual clarity and emotional response. The article discusses how designers can collect feedback to guide iterations.
As a UX leader, Whitenton’s work is academically and professionally vetted. Nielsen Norman Group is globally respected in UX research, ensuring the source’s authority.
The article supported the testing phase of Pulse Odyssey’s logo and layout choices, improving both usability and emotional impact. Its methods encouraged evidence-based refinement throughout development.

Polyakov, S. (2020). The Art of Frankenstein-ing: When and how to combine designs through rapid A/B testing. UX Collective. https://uxdesign.cc/the-art-of-frankenstein-ing-when-and-how-to-combine-designs-through-rapid-a-b-testing-7ac97cedad05

Polyakov introduces “Frankensteining,” the practice of merging successful elements from multiple concepts through iterative design. The article emphasizes adaptability, creative synthesis, and the benefits of testing partial ideas.
While published on Medium, the article is grounded in practice and hosted on UX Collective, a trusted platform among digital designers. The author offers credible insights rooted in professional experience.
The method was applied to Pulse Odyssey’s logo development, particularly in blending multiple icon and type concepts into one cohesive visual system. It encouraged thoughtful synthesis rather than binary decision-making, strengthening brand cohesion.

Schell, C. (2015). UX Foundations: Research [Video]. LinkedIn Learning. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/ux-foundations-research/welcome-14217812?u=50813145

Schell explains user-centered design research, emphasizing interviews, A/B testing, and observational studies to improve design outcomes. The course provides a comprehensive overview of behavioral insights and how they apply to digital and visual experiences.
This is a professionally produced course offering foundational research methods applicable across design disciplines. Schell’s teaching is clear, authoritative, and widely implemented in UX best practices.
The course reinforced the value of testing visual hypotheses and using behavioral feedback to inform creative decisions. It helped justify user-oriented revisions to layouts, typography, and visual rhythm in the Pulse Odyssey project.