RIPPLE EFFECT
Visual Identity
2025
Ripple Effect is a new kind of arts festival—one that brings Santa Cruz’s creative undercurrent to the surface. The goal was to create a brand that didn’t just represent the arts, but celebrated the movement, momentum, and community that fuels them. Ripple Effect needed a visual identity that felt both bold and inclusive, grounded and expressive—something that could capture the festival’s spirit and grow alongside it.
Scope
Visual Identity
Design System
Brand Strategy
My Role
Creative Strategy
Art Direction
Design
-
Client: John Kriesa
Agency: Sköna
ACD: Lachlan Palmer-Hubbard
Design: Maya Jahja -
The challenge was to create a unified identity system that could hold space for a wide range of artistic voices and mediums, while still making a strong, memorable impression. The brand needed to flex across print, digital, merch, and environmental touchpoints without losing clarity or cohesion. Just as importantly, it had to reflect the spirit of the festival’s founding vision: to make art feel accessible, participatory, and alive in unexpected places.
The resulting identity is built around the creative journey itself—from the spark of instinctive, expressive gestures, through the fluid development of ideas taking shape, to a final expression that flows through people, disciplines, and spaces in constant transformation. At the center is a gestural logomark inspired by the letters “R” and “E,” acting as a visual ripple that shifts and adapts to spotlight artists, audiences, and creative moments.
Earthy tones, natural light photography, and open, uncluttered layouts keep the system grounded and human. Confident yet approachable typography—with subtle offsets and thoughtful tension—adds a sense of rhythm and curiosity. From street posters to stage flags, the identity flexes effortlessly across formats, maintaining its pulse and clarity. Ripple Effect doesn’t just represent a festival, it captures the feeling of creativity in motion.
