The Pohoda music festival, held at Trenčín Airport in Slovakia, has grown into one of the region’s key cultural events over the past three decades. Founded in 1997 as a small local project, it has expanded to the international level, bringing renowned performers to the stage and attracting thousands of visitors from across Europe.
The organizers decided to update the festival’s visual system, as the previous design no longer reflected its scale and contemporary character. The Bratislava studio Andrej & Andrej, known for its use of techniques inspired by punk culture and the aesthetics of 1990s samizdat, was invited to develop the new identity.
The main symbol of the festival, which remains central to its image, is the depiction of two embryos embracing each other. The mark still conveys the meaning of the word pohoda, associated with inner balance and understanding. However, the symbol is now embedded in a new visual identity.
The identity is built on bold typographic solutions. The Gravity typeface by Dinamo serves as the basis, but its forms are freely deformed. Letters are stretched, compressed, overlapped, and bent to form dynamic compositions. They create a sense of spontaneous play and evoke the movement of the crowd at the festival.
The visual style reflects Pohoda’s visitors: independent, liberated, and ready to embrace irony and chaos as part of the festival experience. The design deliberately breaks away from classical rules, conveying the atmosphere of three days of music and freedom when strict boundaries no longer matter.
The color palette is intentionally sharp. Bright tones evoke the standard color sets of old computer programs. They create a sense of randomness and reinforce the impression of a rough yet vibrant experiment.
Animations and posters appear as visual collages, where text and images collide, producing unexpected effects. They give the viewer a sense of immediacy, as if the graphics are being created on the spot, in the rhythm of the festival.
With its updated style, Pohoda reinforces its image as a festival open to experimentation and exploration. The emblem with the embryos preserves continuity and a connection to history, while the new typography and palette add edge and relevance.
The identity reflects the festival’s philosophy: a space of freedom where people gather for music and connection. Pohoda’s visual language works in the same spirit as the festival itself. It is bold, provocative, and authentic.