The future is flexible: &why’s identity for Living Stories Lab echos their vision for storytelling

The immersive world of storytelling is becoming even more moving, impactful, and unforgettable for viewers thanks to the innovative work of Living Stories Lab. An EU-funded research initiative, based in Munich, Germany, their work – carried out by their Research & Development Lab – is dedicated to shaping the future of interactive narratives, where the principles of game design blend with the art of cinema. Munich-based tech and design studio &why was tasked with the job of expressing this vision with a brand identity that’s all about interaction. Keen to challenge the typical look of the industry, they instead adopt a lighter, more playful aesthetic, characterised by warm hues and organic shapes, rooted in the concept of ‘Storytelling shaped by the audience.’ “While doing our industry research, we were struck by how similar a lot of the players looked,” Managing Partner & Creative Director Alexander Dohr reveals, pointing out their subdued, minimalistic, static, dark “and, of course, blue” qualities. “For us, this tone resembled the distance that exists between entertainment brands and their audience. With Living Stories, we want to break up that distance and create tools that allow for interactive, playful and ever-evolving stories on big and small screens.”