You know you’ve got good event branding when people recognise a yellow cube aka branded light box and think of Amsterdam Dance Event aka ADE. No giant banner needed. Just a cube doing its glowing cube thing.
It’s become such a familiar sight that people sometimes ask for a branded light box “like the one at ADE.” But did ADE start the cube trend, or did it simply make the shape famous in electronic music? Let’s have a quick tb at where the idea came from, why cubes work so well at all sorts of places, and how DJs and brands use them today.
Did the Branded Light Box Trend Start With ADE?
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) has brought DJs, music fans and industry professionals together since 1996. Its yellow cube joined the event’s visual identity in 2010. Since then, the cube has appeared at smaller ADE venues and in promotions for big shows at the Johan Cruijff ArenA. That for sure is a workload for six square faces.
But glowing cubes have been a part of electronic music before ADE’s yellow icon appeared. In 2006, the Kubik club in Berlin built its dance space from illuminated water tanks, then brought the idea back to Barcelona. In 2007, Étienne de Crécy performed inside a huge cube that lit up with his Beats and Cubes show. Neither was a branded light box like the ones DJs and event organisers use today, but the cube had clearly found its new home on the dance floor.
So did ADE start the trend? That is up for debate. But it showed how a simple shape, used consistently, could become a recognisable part of an event. It’s easy to see why that might inspire a DJ or festival to want a branded light boxes of their own. After all, if people can spot your logo from the back of the room while holding a drink and looking for their friends, your branding is doing its job on a very high altitude.
Why Does the Cube Work?
A cube is easy to spot. Its equal sides give it a balanced shape that looks familiar from different angles, even when the room is dark and the lights are moving. Our eyes are good at picking up regular shapes and symmetry, which may help explain why a cube stands out in a busy venue. Evolution didn’t design us to love branded light boxes-though the cube would probably put that on its CV.
The shape can also suggest structure, stability and reliability. Nobody on the dance floor is likely to think, “What a reassuringly stable geometric form.” They’re probably looking for their friends. But a clean, solid shape can give branding a confident look.
A rectangular sign can display a logo. A branded light box can show logos or graphics on several sides while becoming part of the DJ setup. Put one beside the booth and people can see it as they walk past; place one on the table and it becomes part of the stage. Add light, and it stays visible when the house lights go down-just as the DJ’s night is getting started.
How Are Branded Light Cubes Used Today?
A branded light cube can sit on a DJ table or become part of the booth itself. It gives the DJ’s name or logo a place in the setup without asking the crowd to read a banner behind a wall of moving people.
Cubes also work as stage accents and illuminated logo signs. Place one beside the booth, and it can help frame the performance. Put one in a photo area or larger event installation, and it gives guests an easy backdrop for pictures. Finally, a branding object that’s happy to be in the background and the photos.
They can keep working after one event, too. A brand can use the same cube at a launch, a festival and a later campaign. With interchangeable skins, its graphics can change for each occasion while the cube stays the same. One cube, several outfits—and considerably less luggage than a DJ on tour.
The UNIQCUBE Client Experience
One UNIQCUBE client brings the cube story particularly close to ADE: 1001Tracklists. A platform that tracks DJ setlists and track IDs and produces they’re own annual DJ rankings. Every year during ADE, 1001Tracklists hosts two award ceremonies: one celebrating its Top 101 Producers ranking and another spotlighting upcoming artists through The Future of Dance.
1001Tracklists returns to UNIQCUBE every year for branded light cubes that are later seen at ADE events. And every year the team updates its existing cubes by ordering new interchangeable skins. It is a great example of how the same light boxes can return year after year while their graphics change to match the latest rankings. Same cubes, new names, fresh outfits.
Synesthesia first noticed illuminated cubes at festivals in the Netherlands, including DGTL and Solomun’s Dynamic Festival. They liked how the cubes looked and thought one could work for their own events. ADE’s yellow cube is iconic, they told us, but it wasn’t the inspiration behind their order. Their idea came from seeing cubes elsewhere in the festival scene and wanting one they could make their own.
Synesthesia ordered a branded light box from UNIQCUBE and now uses it at every event. It’s one of the few branding pieces they keep bringing back. That cube has a fuller calendar than most DJs.
RAVERZZ has also been using its UNIQCUBE for several years. They chose the light cube because it sits directly beside the decks and the DJ, putting their branding right exactly people naturally look during an event. Based on RAVERZZ, this helps everyone immediately recognise what kind of event they are attending. They have continued using the same cube ever since- solid proof that good event branding needs to evolve.
Ordering your own starts with choosing a cube and creating the design through UNIQCUBE’s online customisation tool. You can upload your logo or artwork and arrange the design yourself. The finished design is then printed on a removable skin that fits around the light box. If your next event needs a new look, you can order another skin and swap the graphics while keeping the same cube.
Make the Cube Your Own
ADE’s yellow cube shows how a simple shape can become part of an event’s identity. Synesthesia’s story shows that the idea can travel: they spotted cubes at other festivals, chose one for their own events and now use it every time.
A branded light box can put your logo right where the action is, while interchangeable skins let you give it a new look for the next event. The best part? You don’t need to borrow anyone else’s yellow. Create a cube people recognise as yours with UNIQCUBE.
Image credits: Raverzz, 1001Tracklists, Vapour Recording, Synesthesia, Meanwhile Recordings
Frequently Asked Questions
What are UNIQCUBE branded light boxes?
They’re illuminated cubes customised with your logo or artwork. You can place one on a DJ table, beside a stage or in an event photo area.
Did ADE start the DJ cube trend?
There’s no evidence that ADE invented it. Illuminated cubes appeared at electronic music events before ADE added its yellow cube to its visual identity in 2010.
How do I order a branded light box from UNIQCUBE?
Choose your cube and send UNIQCUBE your logo or artwork. Your design is printed on a removable skin that fits around the light box.
Can I change the design for another event?
Yes. Order a new skin with different graphics and swap it onto the same cube.
Can I reuse my UNIQCUBE at different events?
Yes. Synesthesia told us they bring their cube to every event. It’s one of the few branding pieces they use again and again.
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