Electric Root
Festival
Brand Proposal
Each year the Electric Root Festival takes place in the Oxford, Ohio, community. I was tasked with creating a poster to propose a new brand guidelines system for the 2024 festival. I worked to capture the festival's core values, including celebrating Black joy and radical hospitality. I created a flexible system that could be used for print, digital, and wayfinding materials.
Typography
When developing this brand friendliness was a main priority because the festival is for all ages. In a college town like Oxford, Ohio bridging the gap between full-time residences and students can be an interesting challenge to tackle. I landed on using Anona for the headings because of its balance between rounded and pointed forms. The e’s and a’s also form a petal-like shape that I couldn’t resist using for this springtime event.
Color
I wanted color to be the main focus of this brand revamp. Keeping the main palette of teal, orange, and purple, I wanted to expand and brighten it up a bit. I proposed replacing most black elements with a navy blue to make it feel more saturated. I also wanted to add a warm green and yellow to the palette to embody spring sunshine and growth. This new palette feels warmer and more inviting than in previous years.
Shapes
For motifs, balloons are a large part of the festival and the brand direction from the previous year. I wanted to keep some balloon imagery with the inclusion of circles throughout graphics, but toned down more from the previous year. I also wanted to add the concept of using diagonal lines to separate space. The intersection of circular shapes with the diagonal lines creates an energy that the festival embodies. The rough drafts of my guidelines posters were experiments on how to find a balance between these shapes.
By combining approachable typography, vibrant spring colors, and dynamic geometric forms, the Electric Root Festival identity celebrates joy while inviting connection across backgrounds.
