Sonaré Festival

Bringing European Indie Culture to Barcelona's Coastline

A complete brand identity project that transforms Barcelona's beach into Europe's next indie music destination, combining strategic market research with compelling visual design.

Role
Brand Designer & Strategist
Duration
3 Weeks
Location
Barcelona, Spain
Festival Dates
May 29 - June 2
Sonaré Festival Poster

The Challenge

Create a festival brand identity that captures Barcelona's indie music scene while appealing to young European travelers seeking authentic cultural experiences.

The Strategic Brief

Design a compelling visual identity for a multi-day indie music festival that would position Barcelona as a destination for young, culturally-aware Europeans. The festival needed to feel authentic to local culture while being accessible to international visitors.

1

Market Research

Analyze Barcelona's music scene and target demographic

2

Cultural Integration

Research Spanish linguistics and local cultural elements

3

Brand Development

Create visual identity reflecting beach, music, and youth culture

4

Strategic Partnerships

Identify authentic brand partnerships and sponsors

Research & Strategy

Deep cultural research informed every design decision, ensuring authenticity and market relevance.

🎵 Music Scene Analysis

Researched Barcelona's indie music landscape to understand the local scene and identify artists that would resonate with our target demographic.

  • Headliners: Wallows, alt-J, Foster the People
  • Supporting acts: The White Stripes, Postal Service, Spoon
  • Emerging artists: Dinosaur Jr., Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Pavement

🏖️ Location Strategy

Selected Playa de la Barceloneta for its central location, accessibility, and authentic Barcelona beach culture that isn't overly touristy.

  • Central Barcelona location
  • Authentic local beach culture
  • Perfect size for medium-scale festival
  • Transportation accessibility

👥 Target Audience

Focused on 18-25 year olds: university students and recent graduates seeking cultural travel experiences across Europe.

  • Age: 18-25 years old
  • Income: Student/entry-level budgets
  • Interests: Indie music, travel, cultural experiences
  • Behavior: European travel, social media active

🤝 Partnership Strategy

Identified strategic partners that align with our audience's lifestyle and the festival's authentic Barcelona positioning.

  • Estrella Damm - Local Barcelona beer brand
  • JBL - Music technology popular with youth
  • Interrail - European train travel for students
  • Heora - Local lifestyle brand

🗣️ Cultural Linguistics

Researched Spanish words that capture the festival's essence, leading to "Sonaré" - meaning "I will sound/dream" in Spanish.

  • Linguistic research into Spanish music terms
  • "Sonaré" = "I will sound" or "I will dream"
  • Perfect blend of music and aspiration
  • Easy pronunciation for international audiences

🌅 Experience Design

Crafted the festival experience around the magic of beach culture: dancing, hanging out with friends, and watching sunrises together.

  • Multi-day experience (5 days)
  • Beach party atmosphere
  • Sunset-to-sunrise programming
  • Community and friendship focus

Design Development

Creating a visual identity that captures the energy of indie music and the magic of Barcelona's coastline.

Visual Identity Rationale

Color Psychology

Barcelona Blue

Mediterranean sky and ocean

#6B8CFF

Sunshine Yellow

Beach warmth and energy

#FFD93D

Typography Choice: Poppins

Selected Poppins for its modern, clean aesthetic that appeals to young audiences while maintaining excellent readability across digital and print applications. The geometric structure conveys the professional quality while the friendly curves suggest approachability and fun.

Brand Applications

Extending the visual identity across multiple touchpoints to create a cohesive festival experience.

Digital Experience

Social Media Campaign

Social Media Campaign

Instagram stories and posts maintaining brand consistency while optimized for mobile engagement and shareability across European markets.

Festival Mobile App

Festival Mobile App

Complete app interface featuring schedules, artist information, interactive maps, and social features using the established visual system.

Festival Merchandise

Festival T-Shirts

Premium T-Shirt Collection

High-quality festival apparel featuring the signature design on premium cotton, available in multiple colorways.

Festival Hoodies

Festival Hoodies

Cozy streetwear pieces with embroidered branding and Barcelona coordinates for year-round festival memories.

Eco Tote Bags

Sustainable Tote Bags

Eco-friendly canvas bags perfect for festival essentials and daily use, reinforcing environmental consciousness.

Festival Accessories

Festival Accessories

Complete accessory line including bucket hats, sunglasses, and tech accessories maintaining brand consistency.

Festival Environment

Stage Design

Main Stage Design

Immersive stage design incorporating brand colors and typography, creating an Instagram-worthy backdrop for performances.

Festival Wristbands

Collectible Wristbands

Premium silicone wristbands in brand colors that serve as both access control and lasting festival keepsakes.

Festival Signage

Wayfinding & Signage

Comprehensive signage system helping attendees navigate the beach venue while maintaining visual brand consistency.

Strategic Partnerships

Estrella Damm Partnership

Estrella Damm Collaboration

Co-branded materials with Barcelona's iconic beer brand, maintaining authentic local connections while expanding reach.

Interrail Partnership

Interrail Travel Partnership

Strategic alliance promoting sustainable travel to Barcelona, targeting young Europeans with train travel packages.

Complete Brand System

A scalable visual identity that works across all touchpoints while maintaining consistency and flexibility.

Logo System

A comprehensive logo family designed for maximum versatility across digital, print, and merchandise applications.

Primary Logo

Complete lockup with festival name and location. Used for main branding, posters, and website headers.

Main Branding Posters Website

Horizontal Layout

Side-by-side arrangement perfect for headers, banners, and co-branding scenarios with partners.

Headers Co-branding Banners

Icon Mark

Abstract symbol incorporating Barcelona elements. Perfect for social media profiles and app icons.

Social Media App Icons Avatars

Monogram

Stylized "S" for minimal applications, embroidery, and when space is extremely limited.

Embroidery Minimal Use Watermarks

Clean Wordmark

Typography-only version optimized for merchandise production and simple applications.

Merchandise T-shirts Simple Apps

App Icon

Square format designed specifically for mobile applications and digital platforms.

Mobile Apps Digital Square Format

Color System

A carefully curated palette reflecting Barcelona's Mediterranean vibes and festival energy.

Primary Colors

Barcelona Blue

#6B8CFF

Mediterranean sky and ocean depth

Sunshine Yellow

#FFD93D

Beach warmth and festival energy

Supporting Colors

Deep Black

#1A1A1A

Pure White

#F9F9F9

Neutral Gray

#B8B8B8

Signature Gradient

The signature blue-to-yellow gradient captures the essence of Barcelona's golden sunsets over the Mediterranean, used across all primary brand applications.

Typography System

Poppins provides the perfect balance of modern aesthetics and excellent readability across all applications.

Sonaré Festival
Display Poppins Bold Main headlines, logos
Barcelona Beach Experience
Heading Poppins Semibold Section headers, titles
May 29 - June 2, 2024
Subheading Poppins Medium Dates, subtitles
Join us for five days of incredible indie music, amazing food, and unforgettable memories on Barcelona's most beautiful beach. Experience the perfect blend of Mediterranean culture and international music.
Body Poppins Regular Body text, descriptions
BARCELONA • PLAYA DE LA BARCELONETA
Caption Poppins Medium Labels, captions, metadata

Usage Guidelines

✓ Do's

  • Maintain minimum spacing around logos
  • Use approved color combinations
  • Ensure sufficient contrast for readability
  • Scale logos proportionally
  • Use primary logo for main applications

✗ Don'ts

  • Don't stretch or distort logos
  • Don't use colors outside the palette
  • Don't place logos on busy backgrounds
  • Don't recreate or modify letterforms
  • Don't use logos smaller than minimum size

Brand Attributes

🎵

Authentic

Genuine connection to Barcelona's music culture and beach lifestyle

🌅

Vibrant

Energetic and alive, capturing the excitement of festival experiences

🌊

Mediterranean

Relaxed beach vibes with sophisticated European sensibilities

👥

Inclusive

Welcoming to young travelers from across Europe and beyond

Project Impact & Learning

This project demonstrates strategic thinking beyond visual design, showcasing cultural research, market analysis, and systematic brand development.

100%
Project Grade Achieved
5
Days Festival Duration
9
Major Artists Curated
5
Strategic Partners Identified

Key Learnings

  • Cultural Research Methodology: Learned how to conduct meaningful cultural research that informs design decisions rather than just aesthetic choices.
  • Strategic Brand Thinking: Developed skills in thinking beyond individual designs to complete brand systems and experiences.
  • Market Positioning: Understanding how visual identity connects to business strategy and target audience behavior.
  • Systematic Design: Creating cohesive visual systems that work across multiple applications and touchpoints.