Manchester Reggae Festival X Create8

A fresh approach to bringing Reggae Culture to the UK

Branding, Marketing and Event artwork for a nationwide reggae festival

Manchester Reggae Festival came to us with a challenge of creating a brand and event artwork style for their events nationwide. Aside from using Jamaican colours, we knew we had to create something greater than just a logo for potentially the biggest reggae festival in the UK. We aimed to create an identity and artwork style that could be adapted for multiple venues and locations around the country: a visual framework which could always be a point of reference for each piece of digital and print collateral, while always being recognisable and hitting the mark in capturing reggae culture. 

With Manchester being the origin of the brand, the first event was held on home turf. We knew the first piece of artwork would set the stage for the rest of the brand, and it had to make a big impact. For the logo, we kept it simple yet authentic: using classic reggae colours and bold typography. We knew we’d change the logo per venue, so keeping it simple would allow the logo to maintain it’s form and identity. Aside from the logo, the main identifying element to the brand would be the artwork. We set the tone for the brand’s artwork theme with use of bright colour contrasting with black and white imagery. The addition of paper textures and imperfect cropping of imagery gives the artwork a rustic, authentic and distinctly reggae feel.