Creating a 3D Brand Universe: From Branding to Virtual Set Design

Your brand has a clearly defined visual identity. Its colours are carefully coded, its typefaces thoughtfully selected and its graphic rules documented in comprehensive brand guidelines.

But what happens when that identity needs to become a place?

How do you transform a logo, colour palette and set of graphic principles into an environment where an executive can deliver a message, an expert can present a product or a brand can host an event?

This transition from a flat surface to a spatial experience is one of the main challenges involved in creating a virtual set.

A successful branded environment is not simply a large logo placed behind a presenter. It translates a personality, values and a promise into volumes, materials, lighting and movement.

Branding no longer merely frames the content. It becomes the place where the story unfolds.

Companies are producing more audiovisual content than ever: executive messages, interviews, product launches, webinars, training programmes, hybrid events and internal broadcasts.

These communications do not always take place in a physical location associated with the brand. They may be recorded in a studio, broadcast live or viewed remotely by audiences in several locations.

The set therefore plays a strategic role.

Before the presenter even begins to speak, the audience perceives an atmosphere. It identifies the brand’s positioning, level of approachability and intention. It understands whether it is watching an institutional announcement, technical demonstration or premium experience.

In a physical environment, this perception is shaped by the architecture, furniture, materials and lighting. A virtual set uses the same elements, but they can be modified, animated and adapted with much greater freedom.

A consistent spatial identity can:

• make the brand immediately recognisable;
• differentiate its content in a highly competitive audiovisual landscape;
• maintain continuity across several formats;
• create an experience tailored to each audience;
• strengthen the perceived quality of corporate communications;
• reuse the same universe across multiple campaigns;
• make content easier to adapt for different markets.

The virtual set becomes a brand asset rather than a simple background.

Brand guidelines usually define how to use the logo, colours, typefaces, icons and certain composition principles.

These elements are essential, but they do not answer every question raised by a three-dimensional environment.

A spatial experience also requires decisions about:

• depth and proportions;
• dominant volumes;
• presenter movement;
• materials;
• lighting sources;
• functional zones;
• camera movements;
• screen positioning;
• the relationship between people and content;
• possible transformations of the environment.

A colour that works perfectly on a website may become overwhelming when applied to an entire virtual wall. An elegant two-dimensional pattern may overload the image when repeated throughout a space. A logo positioned effectively on a brochure may compete with the presenter’s face on screen.

Creating a virtual set therefore requires a genuine process of interpretation.

The essential characteristics of the brand must first be identified and then translated into architecture.

The first question should not be: “Where should we place the logo?”

It should be: “What should the audience feel when entering this environment?”

A brand may want to be perceived as:

• expert;
• approachable;
• innovative;
• reassuring;
• bold;
• precise;
• premium;
• responsible;
• dynamic;
• human.

These attributes guide the art direction.

A brand that wants to communicate approachability may choose open spaces, soft shapes, warm materials and natural lighting.

A technology company may focus on precise lines, modular screens and the visual flow of data.

A luxury brand may favour restraint, depth, high-quality materials and carefully controlled movement.

An industrial brand may combine solidity and clarity with the ability to present complex products.

The environment should express the brand’s values without illustrating them too literally.

Innovation does not automatically require a world filled with neon lights. Sustainability is not simply a matter of adding plants. Luxury does not depend on covering every surface in gold.

Subtlety often reinforces an identity more effectively than visual excess.

To become a coherent space, the visual identity must be translated across several complementary dimensions.

Colour

The brand’s primary colours do not necessarily need to cover every surface.

They can be used as accents, organise different areas, illuminate selected volumes or appear within graphic elements.

A secondary palette is often required to create depth and prevent the image from feeling too uniform.

Shape

Curves, angles, lines and patterns from the brand guidelines can inspire the architecture of the set.

A shape used in the logo may become an opening, a lighting structure or the geometry of a screen. It does not need to be reproduced exactly to remain recognisable.

Materials

Wood, glass, metal, fabric, stone and abstract surfaces do not communicate the same values.

Materials add depth and strongly influence the perceived level of quality. In a virtual environment, their credibility also depends on the textures, reflections and lighting.

Lighting

Lighting creates the atmosphere, reveals the volumes and guides the viewer’s attention.

It must also ensure a natural integration between the real presenter and the digital environment. Any inconsistency between the lighting in the studio and the virtual set can immediately make the image appear artificial.

Movement

In an audiovisual identity, the brand is defined not only by how it looks, but also by how it moves.

Transitions, screen animations and changes to the set should follow a rhythm consistent with its personality.

An institutional brand may favour controlled, measured movements. A more dynamic brand may use faster transitions and bolder changes in perspective.

Dreamwall’s motion design team can develop this visual language to ensure continuity between the set, screens and graphic content.

Sound

Although the virtual set is primarily visual, sound design can extend the branded experience.

A sonic signature, transition or subtle atmosphere can strengthen the perception of the universe and support changes between sequences.

A virtual set is a production environment.

It must accommodate people, cameras, screens, objects and different types of content. Its quality cannot therefore be judged from a single static image.

A visually impressive set may prove difficult to use if presenters do not know where to stand, text is difficult to read or the cameras cannot provide enough varied shots.

The set design must be based on real applications.

The presentation area

This area accommodates a single presenter for an executive message, introduction or conclusion.

The framing must remain strong in both wide shots and close-ups without allowing the environment to distract from the presenter’s face.

The interview area

This zone accommodates two or more speakers, either seated or standing.

Distances, eye lines and camera changes must feel natural.

The screen area

This area displays videos, charts, slides, data or remote contributors.

The format of the screen should be suited to the content that will actually be displayed—not chosen solely for its visual impact.

The demonstration area

This zone accommodates a physical product, 3D object or augmented reality elements.

The presenter must be able to move and interact without leaving the usable area of the physical studio.

The remote contribution area

This area integrates a remote speaker or external video feed into a coherent composition.

The aim is to avoid creating the impression that a basic video window has simply been added to the set.

Transition areas

Movement between different areas contributes to the pace of the production.

Transitions should be short enough to feel natural but clear enough to help presenters maintain their spatial awareness.

The design must always take the dimensions of the physical studio into account, even when the virtual environment appears immense.

A company rarely uses a single communication format.

It may need an institutional set for executive messages, a more educational environment for training and a premium configuration for a product launch.

Creating three completely separate universes fragments the identity and increases design costs.

A better approach is to develop a family of sets.

Each variation shares a common visual architecture:

• the same overall proportions;
• the same distinctive shapes;
• the same primary materials;
• the same lighting principles;
• the same graphic rules;
• the same animation language.

Selected elements can then change according to the format, including accent colours, screen layouts, furniture, lighting intensity and backgrounds.

The audience immediately recognises the brand without feeling that it is seeing exactly the same set every time.

This approach turns the environment into an evolving system.

Consider a brand whose main values are expertise, approachability and innovation.

These characteristics can be interpreted differently depending on the context.

An institutional version

The environment focuses on stability, clarity and trust.

The colours are balanced, the volumes are structured and movement remains subtle. This version is suitable for executive messages, financial results and strategic communications.

An approachable version

The set uses warmer lighting, more open shapes and a less formal composition.

It is suitable for HR content, interviews, training and conversations with employees.

A premium version

The materials gain depth, the lighting becomes more contrasted and movements are more carefully choreographed.

This version can host a product launch, press conference or partner event.

The three environments do not look exactly alike. Yet they clearly belong to the same brand territory.

A virtual set can recreate a believable location, such as an architectural studio, showroom, auditorium, office or exhibition space.

It can also take a more abstract approach, built around shapes, light and transformations that would be impossible to reproduce physically.

The choice depends on three factors.

The message

An institutional presentation may require a stable and credible environment. A product launch may allow for more transformation and spectacle.

The audience

A technical audience may prioritise precision and clarity. An event audience may be more receptive to a memorable visual experience.

The brand’s personality

Some brands benefit from a highly realistic environment. Others can confidently adopt an abstract or unexpected form of set design.

The best virtual set is neither the most realistic nor the most spectacular. It is the one that gives the brand a credible and distinctive territory.

Dreamwall has developed Unreal Engine virtual environments for a variety of broadcast applications. The virtual set created for BeTV demonstrates how a visual identity can be transformed into a coherent audiovisual space.

A set that is too understated may lack personality. A set that is too visually dominant may undermine the message.

The objective is to create a clear visual hierarchy:

1. the presenter and their message;
2. the product, data or important information;
3. the branded environment;
4. purely atmospheric elements.

The branding should be visible enough to make the content recognisable, but controlled enough to give the image room to breathe.

This hierarchy can change during the production. The set may be more expressive during the introduction. It can become more understated during a data presentation to improve readability. At the conclusion, the brand identity can become more prominent again.

The environment supports the narrative instead of remaining static.

1. Brand audit

The project begins with an analysis of the brand guidelines, existing content and communication strategy.

The team identifies the most recognisable elements, the values to be translated and the rules that must be respected.

2. Defining the applications

Which content will be produced? How many presenters will appear? Will the system need to accommodate products, data or remote contributors?

The answers determine the functional architecture of the virtual set.

3. Mood board

The mood board explores materials, lighting, volumes, architectural references and the overall atmosphere.

It helps align all stakeholders before 3D production begins.

4. Set design

The different zones are arranged according to the dimensions of the physical studio and the planned camera movements.

Presenter movement and interactions are incorporated at this stage.

5. 3D production

Artists model the environment, create the materials and build the lighting.

Screens, objects and animated elements are progressively incorporated.

6. Real-time integration

The set is optimised to operate within the rendering engine and respond to tracking data.

This stage ensures fluid images and consistent perspectives.

Dreamwall’s Real Time | AR | VR | XR solutions bring these creative and technical skills together.

7. Camera tests

A virtual set cannot be approved solely on a computer screen.

It must be viewed through the cameras that will be used during production, with the planned lenses, framing and movements.

8. Rehearsals

Presenters test their positions, movements and interactions.

The environment can then be adjusted to improve their comfort and make the different sequences easier to follow.

9. Creating the variations

Once the main environment has been approved, the different configurations can be prepared for interviews, executive messages, demonstrations, events and international versions.

When an environment will be used in several countries, localisation involves more than replacing a few words.

Word length varies between languages. Some markets use different alphabets. Date formats, units and graphic regulations may also change.

The virtual set should therefore include:

• sufficiently flexible text areas;
• modular screens;
• alternative logos or signatures;
• content that can be replaced easily;
• language-compatible interfaces;
• framing suitable for several versions.

This preparation makes it possible to maintain a consistent international identity without rebuilding the entire environment.

A visual identity is never completely fixed.

A new campaign may introduce a colour. The brand guidelines may change. A new service may be launched. The company may want to adopt a more approachable or premium tone.

A virtual set can support these changes if it has been designed as a modular system.

Its elements can be divided into three categories.

Core elements

The architecture, proportions, distinctive shapes and overall design principles. These ensure long-term recognition.

Evolving elements

Screens, accent colours, graphic packages, objects and content. These change according to campaigns and formats.

Event-specific elements

Animations, messages or transformations created for a specific campaign. They give a launch or event a distinctive character without changing the entire structure.

This organisation makes maintenance easier and prevents the set from having to be rebuilt whenever the brand evolves.

Success should not be measured solely by the beauty of the first images.

An effective environment must meet several criteria:

• the brand is recognisable without relying constantly on its logo;
• the presenter remains the focus of attention;
• information is easy to read;
• several formats can be produced;
• teams can navigate the environment easily;
• the set works with different camera angles;
• the variations remain consistent;
• assets can be reused;
• the environment can evolve without being rebuilt;
• the real-time result remains fluid and credible.

Feedback from presenters, production teams and audiences can also help improve the system over time.

A brand is not defined solely by what it shows. It is also defined by how it tells its story.

Virtual set design gives this narrative a spatial dimension.

Values become materials. Personality becomes lighting. Graphic principles become volumes. The brand’s rhythm becomes movement.

When successfully designed, the environment does not look like enlarged brand guidelines. It feels like the natural place from which the brand was always meant to communicate.

Dreamwall combines art direction, 3D creation, motion design and real-time expertise to transform visual identities into practical audiovisual environments.

Discover our Real Time | AR | VR | XR solutions, our studio rental options and Dreamwall’s projects.

Would you like to give your identity a new dimension and create an environment tailored to your corporate communications? Contact Dreamwall to transform your brand universe into a complete audiovisual experience.

How do you transform brand guidelines into a virtual set?

The process begins by identifying the brand’s essential elements and translating them into volumes, materials, lighting, functional areas and movement. The environment should express the identity without simply repeating the logo.

Does a virtual set need to use all the brand’s colours?

No. Primary colours can be used as accents. A complementary palette is often required to create depth, maintain readability and prevent the image from becoming too uniform.

Can several formats be produced within the same environment?

Yes. A shared architecture can support several configurations, including executive messages, interviews, training programmes, demonstrations and product launches.

Can the set evolve alongside the brand guidelines?

Yes, provided that it has been designed as a modular system. Colours, screens, graphic packages and content can evolve without rebuilding the entire architecture.

How can presenters be integrated naturally into the virtual set?

The real and virtual lighting must be harmonised, proportions must remain consistent, camera angles should be prepared and the different zones should reflect how the presenter will move.

Should the environment be realistic or abstract?

The choice depends on the brand, audience and message. A realistic environment may strengthen credibility, while an abstract virtual set can provide greater differentiation and narrative freedom.