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When Perplexity set out to introduce Comet — their experimental, AI-powered browser — the product was still being developed, and they sought out a partner to help translate that early vision into something people could get excited about.
What followed was a tight, collaborative sprint to build an experiential launch site that was part metaphor, part announcement, part provocation. In this conversation, partner and creative director at Studio Freight, Aaron Marks, reflects on how the project took shape, working without a traditional brief, building trust with the Perplexity team, and navigating the tension between experimentation and criticism.
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CF
Let’s start with the who and what of the project.
AM
I did creative direction and design. Evan Vollick-Offer worked with me on design. Patrick Torres and Chris Koelsch handled the video and motion, and development was done by Nic Wands, Andrea Giuffrida, and Dallen Hoyal.
The brief was to activate this micro experience to announce Perplexity's new product, Comet. But the reality was, the product was still in development. There wasn’t a final feature set or anything, just high level comps of light mode and dark mode. Even the visual identity was still forming. We were also asked to make a campaign video, which pulled from the same visual language as the site.
The brief was to activate this micro experience to announce Perplexity's new product, Comet. But the reality was, the product was still in development. There wasn’t a final feature set or anything, just high level comps of light mode and dark mode. Even the visual identity was still forming. We were also asked to make a campaign video, which pulled from the same visual language as the site.
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CF
Yeah, they move fast so I remember there being a lot in flux at the start. Can you tell us more?
AM
They had a working logo, a loose type system, and some art direction that leaned into Perplexity’s retro-futurist style. But there was no defined type scale or brand language for Comet. It was more like, here are some things we're playing with, help us make sense of it. Like you said, they move fast so much of it was still undefined, or too on-the-nose with overt sci-fi aesthetics. We started with throwing down explorations?? to see where we could elevate it, refine what was working, pull back where needed.
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CF
Let’s talk about type. You pushed things there.
AM
Yeah, at first they were using Instrument Serif but when they swapped it for PP Editorial New, there was an opportunity to push it further with a variable approach that let us play with weights and italic styles. When you interact with it, it expands and contracts — it’s a little nod to the expanse of space. We led with the serif, which balanced the sci-fi elements and brought in some sophistication. I wanted it to feel more museum than comic book.
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CF
What was the main concept we landed on for the project?
AM
The browser as a window. Like, what if you're inside the browser instead of looking at it? What if you're immersed in it? That became the vehicle. You enter this capsule and explore, looking out into a universe of possibilities. Instead of showcasing features we didn’t have, we built a kind of meta experience, where the browser itself became the product.
So instead of slapping stars and planets on everything, we treated space more like a conceptual container. A way to show scale and possibility. The windows became spaceship portholes. The design started to feel like 2001: A Space Odyssey?? — not as literal sci-fi but in the way of being composed and spacious, even ornamental. As if you’re looking out into the cosmos from a machine built for discovery.
So instead of slapping stars and planets on everything, we treated space more like a conceptual container. A way to show scale and possibility. The windows became spaceship portholes. The design started to feel like 2001: A Space Odyssey?? — not as literal sci-fi but in the way of being composed and spacious, even ornamental. As if you’re looking out into the cosmos from a machine built for discovery.
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CF
It’s not just space, there are also scenes on Earth.
AM
We felt the experience needed grounding. Just space felt too distant. So we directed a sequence where the user scrolls from deep space down to Earth. Two separate videos stitched together: one cosmic, one grounded. It was done using Midjourney, Photoshop, After Effects — a mix of tools to create this immersive loop. Getting them to blend seamlessly wasn’t easy. We ended up doing a reverse-loop trick to make the playback feel continuous.
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CF
Why were the planets introduced? I remember being a bit surprised by them, especially how you can click on them to learn more about them.
AM
Yeah, the Perplexity team was toying with these planet-themed avatars for the product, where users can pick a planet as their icon. We turned them into an interactive element where you hover on them, and they move. Click, and you get a modal describing the planet and a little about Comet. It was a hint at the summary modal feature in the real product, without needing to show it. We were trying to suggest functionality without making promises in the absence of a final product.
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CF
The launch video also included archival footage. Why bring that in?
AM
That was all Phi and Patrick. It added a layer of humanity. Like Comet is part of this historical lineage of exploration — NASA, science, discovery. It makes the future feel connected to the past. It adds weight. Beautiful old footage like that gives it texture. On a more personal note, I see it as a good reminder that this isn’t just sleek software, it’s part of a broader story of progress where Comet is dropping in the middle of this Cold War of agentic browsers, it felt right to give it that kind of historical vibe. This is a moment in future history, might as well rise to it.
CF
Let’s talk about working with Henry Modisett and Phi Hoang.
AM
Henry?? and Phi?? real pros. They move fast, but they care deeply about quality. And they value artistry. That combination is rare. We skipped the agency formalities. No big presentations, just constant iteration. Slack, Loom, daily reviews. Here's the idea, does it work? They critiqued us, we critiqued them. Real collaboration. Zero bullshit. No egos. Everyone just looked for the best idea in the room.
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CF
The launch stirred up criticism online. There were intense opinions about scrolljacking, breaking best practices, all that. Thoughts?
AM
Yeah, I saw that. Look, those people had no context. They thought this was a marketing site for a finished product. It wasn’t. It was a beginning. A flare gun. We didn’t even see final copy until after we’d handed the website over to their team. And it crushed. The waitlist blew up. Comet became the thing. So yeah, the scroll might have offended someone’s UX purity test, but it did its job. It worked. That’s what matters.
To have haters?? when you're making experimental things is to be expected. There are going to be edge cases where things aren’t perfect. So what I’d say to all the haters is that your hate doesn't scare me. It just doesn't at all. Sorry. We’re not optimizing for safe and boring. Perplexity is the opposite of that. I think they're brilliant. I think, as new tech is emerging, as browsers are getting better and better, there's more possibility around how we can actually market ourselves and activate our audiences in ways that are subversive and centered around storytelling rather than doing a traditional landing page. A lot is changing. Just look at Comet. We’re not going to be perfect but we will be early to new ideas.
To have haters?? when you're making experimental things is to be expected. There are going to be edge cases where things aren’t perfect. So what I’d say to all the haters is that your hate doesn't scare me. It just doesn't at all. Sorry. We’re not optimizing for safe and boring. Perplexity is the opposite of that. I think they're brilliant. I think, as new tech is emerging, as browsers are getting better and better, there's more possibility around how we can actually market ourselves and activate our audiences in ways that are subversive and centered around storytelling rather than doing a traditional landing page. A lot is changing. Just look at Comet. We’re not going to be perfect but we will be early to new ideas.
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CF
Anything that didn’t make it into the final result?
AM
We had this idea early on where the whole site would be a pixel grid, and you’d reveal the content by moving your cursor. Super interactive with layers beneath layers. We were gonna build it in WebGL. But it felt too digital and cold. So we killed it. But the spirit lived on in the window concept it led to.
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CF
What part of the project was most satisfying?
AM
Honestly? Being trusted. Working with a team that actually wants to take risks. That says yes to weird ideas. That listens. That pushes. That gives a shit. It didn’t matter what we were making. The energy in the room is what what you chase in service-based relationships. That’s the magic.
CF
What advice would you give to other designers? Or maybe, what did you take away from this yourself?
AM
Yeah, I’ve actually thought a lot about this. And I hope I can say it in a way that resonates. I think the biggest thing is this. As designers, as designers who want to be great, ones who actually care, who give a shit about making the best possible work regardless of the client or timeline or budget — you have to remember that your work matters, but it’s not precious. It’s not eternal.
There is a shelf life on this stuff. And that’s okay. That has to be okay. Sometimes your work lives for five days. Sometimes it never launches. That doesn’t mean it didn’t matter. You can’t let that discourage you. That’s the hope I want to pass on. Because I get it. I’ve been there. You push so hard, you pour everything into it, and then the client pivots, or the product changes, or it just doesn’t see the light of day. And it’s easy to spiral. You start to think, well, why try so hard? You want to lower your standards. You want to phone it in. But that’s not it.
The job is to serve a moment. To move something forward. To support what actually matters. In this case, it wasn’t about a beautiful scroll sequence or the cool type interactions — that was the wrapper. The real story is the product itself. Comet. And if Perplexity needs to change gears and build a more traditional, iterative marketing site because the product is evolving fast, that doesn’t invalidate what we did. What we did worked. It made noise. It set the tone.So yeah. Make the work amazing, even if it’s temporary. Make it especially if it’s temporary. Even if it only lasts a second.
There is a shelf life on this stuff. And that’s okay. That has to be okay. Sometimes your work lives for five days. Sometimes it never launches. That doesn’t mean it didn’t matter. You can’t let that discourage you. That’s the hope I want to pass on. Because I get it. I’ve been there. You push so hard, you pour everything into it, and then the client pivots, or the product changes, or it just doesn’t see the light of day. And it’s easy to spiral. You start to think, well, why try so hard? You want to lower your standards. You want to phone it in. But that’s not it.
The job is to serve a moment. To move something forward. To support what actually matters. In this case, it wasn’t about a beautiful scroll sequence or the cool type interactions — that was the wrapper. The real story is the product itself. Comet. And if Perplexity needs to change gears and build a more traditional, iterative marketing site because the product is evolving fast, that doesn’t invalidate what we did. What we did worked. It made noise. It set the tone.So yeah. Make the work amazing, even if it’s temporary. Make it especially if it’s temporary. Even if it only lasts a second.
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CF
One last thing, whose idea was it to put Studio Freight as a browser tab on the site?
AM
That was Henry. He suggested it as a nod. A little five-minute spotlight moment for us. It was simple, but it felt good. What a good dude.
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No. 03
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