Sustainabol: Brand Identity & Design System
Sustainabol: the branding behind a sustainability festival that didn’t feel boring
On December 7th, 2024, the industrial spaces of DumBO in Bologna hosted Sustainabol, a festival dedicated to environmental and social sustainability that brought together associations, companies, activists, and citizens to reflect on the future of the planet.
Leading the organization was The RoOom, in collaboration with Fondazione Barberini and DumBO itself.
At Wotta, we were tasked with designing the entire visual identity and communication system for the event.
Spoiler: we had a lot of fun doing it.
Branding a sustainability festival: making the ecological transition actually look cool
When talking about sustainability, the risk is always the same: boring graphics, overused green palettes, and vague messaging.
Our goal was the opposite.
We wanted to create a visual system that felt recognizable, energetic, and contemporary — something capable of speaking to a broad community without losing its pop attitude.
We developed a flexible and modular brand system designed to adapt to the many different layers of the festival: talks, workshops, exhibitions, markets, and performances.
The visual identity was applied across:
- Printed materials (posters, infographics, totems, signage)
- Digital assets for social media and newsletters
- A dedicated landing page designed to guide users clearly and quickly through the program, content, and calls to action
All of it built around a graphic style that was clean yet dynamic, driven by bold typography, strong contrasts, and textures inspired by industrial environments — a direct reference to the identity of DumBO.
Coordinated communication and community activation
We didn’t just work on the visuals — we also helped shape the digital communication strategy supporting the festival before, during, and after the event.
Together with the team at The RoOom, we defined a tone of voice that felt accessible, engaging, and community-driven, staying far away from corporate rhetoric.
We created social media content including stories, reels, carousels, and countdown formats with three main objectives:
- Increase festival awareness
- Encourage participation
- Highlight the organizations and people involved
We also managed the production of printed graphic installations, ensuring consistency and quality across every touchpoint — online and offline.
A collaborative project that reflects who we are
For us, Sustainabol was much more than a branding project.
It was an opportunity to put into practice our collaborative, modular, and human-centered approach.
A concrete example of how sustainability can also be communicated properly: authentically, clearly, and without unnecessary fluff.
Special thanks to The RoOom, Fondazione Barberini, and DumBO for the trust.
And if you’re organizing a festival or an event and want an identity that actually works, get in touch.
We like talking about the future. And good design, too.
Got a project that deserves to be told properly?
Fill out the contact form in the contacts section.
Let’s build something beautiful together.