Adobe MAX 2025 Anniversary Pins
Illustration and Art Direction
Role: Art Direction & Design Development
Client: Adobe
Creative Director: Tyler Pate
Design: Tyler Pate
For the past three years, Adobe MAX has celebrated creativity through collectible enamel pins designed by members of the creative community. Each pin represents the years attendees have been creating with Adobe tools—serving as both a keepsake and a badge of honor within the creative world.
For Adobe MAX 2025, I had the honor of designing the full collection—from concept development to visual language, illustration, packaging design, and photoshoot direction. The goal was to create a cohesive story that not only commemorates creative milestones but also pays homage to the design movements that have shaped our industry.
This year’s theme, “Design Flashback: Key Eras That Influenced Us,” celebrates the evolution of design—from the bold modernism of the 1960s to the vibrant digital aesthetics of today. Each pin is a miniature tribute to the eras that continue to shape how we think, create, and connect.
Design Flashback
At the heart of the collection is the theme of evolution. Each pin reflects a moment in design history that continues to influence the creative world today.
1960s–1980s: Minimalist modernism, bold shapes, and print-era production details.
1990s–2000s: Digital experimentation, desktop publishing, and early web aesthetics.
2010s–2025: Collaboration, generative tools, and the merging of analog and digital craft.
Together, the pins tell a story about where we’ve been, how far we’ve come, and the exciting future of creativity. They are reminders to never lose the joy of being a creative—whether it’s your first year with Adobe tools or your 40th.
Themes of the Pins
Community focused
These pins are more than giveaways—they’re a tradition, a spark for conversation, and a celebration of the passion that drives our creative journeys.
One of the most exciting parts of this project was weaving hidden nods and easter eggs into each design. Each pin carries subtle references to Adobe tools and design processes that creatives will instantly recognize:Registration marks and print details from the analog press era.
Speech bubbles and collaboration icons inspired by Illustrator’s modern features. Adobe tool references subtly integrated into patterns and forms. The 40-year pin is especially close to me—it’s a tribute to the bold simplicity of 1960s design and a quiet nod to Paul Rand, complete with print-era details. The 25-year and 5-year pins are also favorites, each playful, packed with hidden icons, and visually distinct.
Hidden Details
Backcard Details
Even the backcards evolve with age: early years are crisp and clean, while later milestones show distressed, aged surfaces—mirroring the passage of time and the stories behind each journey.
