LED Pillar Animation
Pechanga Studios is the in-house production team at Pechanga Resort Casino, producing marketing content across the property and cultural content for the Pechanga Tribal Government. Their work spans the resort’s sponsorships, including its founding partnership with SoFi Stadium.
• Role – Concept · Design · Animation
• Tools – After Effects
The Brief
As part of a content refresh for SoFi Stadium, the assignment was to create four original five-second animations for a 24-foot, four-sided LED pillar screen in the Pechanga Zone.
Using the Pechanga logo mark, the “P,” as the hero element, the content was to express an elevated brand experience through design and animation, with room for artistic interpretations of Pechanga’s property, offerings, its Southern California roots, and its origins as a tribal enterprise.
The pieces would run in rotation during games and events, giving fans a positive, memorable association with the Pechanga brand.
Research
The process began with a full review of Pechanga’s brand guidelines, covering pillar screen specifications, existing content references, motion expression standards, and approved tribal patterns.
It continued with an in-person visit to the resort in Temecula to understand how the brand feels in physical space, and a review of Pechanga’s social channels and guest photography to see how the brand presents itself across different touchpoints.
Four Interpretations, One Brand
Every piece needed to feel premium, positive, and appropriate for all audiences, avoiding obvious casino and gaming cliches and any hint of direct advertising.
• SoCal
The logo mark rendered in glass, set against an ocean sunset, evoking the Southern California identity Pechanga’s guests share.
• The Game
Rather than illustrating a casino directly, this piece drew on the motion and lighting of a live game floor, staying clear of on-the-nose gaming imagery.
• The Tribe
A respectful nod to the brand’s origin, built entirely within Pechanga’s pre-approved tribal patterns and symbols.
• The Brand
Inspired by the architecture, design, and atmosphere of the property itself, carrying an elegant, mature feel.
The Challenge
The Brand animation originally used a soft, creamy white background. Pechanga’s team flagged that at full brightness on a 24-foot LED pillar at night, that shade of white would be overwhelming to look at in person. The background was shifted to black, a small change on screen but one that only became apparent once the piece was considered in the context of the physical space it would live in, not a preview monitor.
Outcome
All four animations were approved and are currently running in rotation on the Pechanga Zone pillar at SoFi Stadium.
Credits
Brand Guidelines & Assets – Pechanga Studios
