1. Samsung - MLB X Samsung TV Plus




Software: Adobe After Effect, Illustrator / Designer: Zhixin Jia / Art Director: Nate Tate
Background
Samsung Korea reached out to Razorfish with a new project: MLB (Major League Baseball) was teaming up with Samsung TV. Our job was to help introduce this collaboration. I worked alongside my art director, Nate, to come up with ideas and solutions to present to the Samsung team.



Brand Research
We started by digging into MLB’s history, which is all about excitement and tradition. In contrast, Samsung TV, which is much newer, has a more modern and flashy vibe—think neon lights and sleek designs.




Brainstorming
Our first idea was to use portraits of MLB players, but we hit a wall with copyright issues. That forced us to rethink the direction. We decided to shift toward a more graphic, vector-based approach that could capture the energy of a baseball game without relying on specific players or photos. This led to some fun explorations into how we could combine the excitement of a live game with Samsung’s futuristic look.




Storyboard
I initially created a storyboard featuring a stylized, vectorized animation of a baseball being hit forward, caught by a glove, and then sliding down into a scoreboard. The scoreboard would then transform into the Samsung TV logo. However, after reviewing the concept with my art director, the feedback was to simplify the vector style and make it more modern.



Final Execution
The final execution focused on a clean, dynamic animation. It begins with a baseball being hit, followed by the scoreboard transforming into a game announcement displaying the schedule and team names. Neon lighting effects were used to highlight the text, adding a modern, sleek touch. The animation concludes with the scoreboard morphing into the Samsung TV logo, seamlessly blending the energy of the game with Samsung’s vibrant visual style.



Conclusion
The Samsung Korean team loved the final animation and decided to move forward with this version. I gained valuable lessons from working at Razorfish and collaborating with professionals.