Viva Fest is a weekend Latin conference held in the heart of Sacramento, California to bring together the Latin community from Sacramento to educate and inspire the younger generation of Latinos through education from influential figures in their community. The problem Viva Fest is trying to solve is the fact that there is no existing Latin based event in the Sacramento area or the United States that's sole purpose is to educate people on Latin topics/issues. The Latin community belongs to some of the oldest cultures and has influenced the world in so many ways. Much of that history is lost through the lack of teaching about Latin countries in the education system; Therefore, reducing the knowledge of their impact on the world. It’s important to learn about the history/impact of Latin Americans to the world because it’s not only essential for understanding the diverse regions in Latin America, but also for gaining insights into broader global issues and fostering a more interconnected and empathetic world. The Latin community makes up the largest minority group in the United States, yet they are the least recognized when it comes to media and representation in media. This is a problem because it limits the exposure of the very vibrant Latin community that is very prominent in not just Sacramento, but the world. By creating Viva Fest, there will finally be an event in a big city, like Sacramento, that exposes people to the vibrant cultures within the Latino communities, but also educates and inspires the younger generation of Latinos, which will push them out of their comfort zones to pursue their goals and dreams that they might have once never thought was possible by seeing how many have paved the way for them.
Viva Fest is a passion project close to my heart, born from a deep personal need for representation and celebration of the vibrant Latino culture. Growing up, I didn't have many role models or platforms that reflected my heritage, so as I've grown older, I've made it my mission to create and or aid in creating those spaces myself. Viva Fest is more than just a conference; it's a lively event created to bring visibility and appreciation to Latino community that has been lacking for years. It's an opportunity to showcase the richness of the diverse communities within the Latino community, from its diverse traditions and art to its influential figures and impactful stories. Every aspect of Viva Fest is carefully curated to amplify the voices and experiences of Latinos, providing a platform for artists, activists, and leaders to share their insights and talents with the future. From keynote speakers to local vendors, the conference offers something for everyone, fostering connections and inspiring new generations. Reclaiming our narratives and celebrating our contributions to society.
Drawing inspiration from familiar elements like vibrant murals and hand-painted typography, I sought to infuse every aspect of the event with the essence of the Latino community. The visual identity of Viva Fest echoed the bold colors and intricate designs found in traditional Latino art, paying homage to the craftsmanship and creativity that sets Latino art from others. From the logo to promotional materials, each element was meticulously crafted to evoke a sense of pride and unity among attendees.
AUDIENCE:
Young Latinos from the age of 16-25 were chosen as the main target audience for Viva Fest because according to the National Center for Education Statistics, Latinos are the second biggest minority group of high school dropouts. This a huge issue because as stated before, they are the largest minority group in the United States; Therefore, they are a large portion of the future work field. Creating an environment like Viva Fest aids in fostering a tight knit of like minded people who already share a commonality, being Latino, but also invites those who have been ignored by the education system to hear from people from there community who have paved new paths.
PROTO PERSONAS:
Proto-Personas is a research method where a designer creates made up identities that are used as examples of who your audience for there event/project would look like, there household income, marital status, location, age, etc. Proto Personas are a helpful research method for the touchpoint journey because they allow the designer to get a deeper understanding on what frustrations event go-ers could face and what the designer could do to prevent them.
The first proto persona was Angelica Sanchez and their main frustration was not being familiar with the area of the event. This is a frustration that many event go-ers could face because the event is open for everyone and anyone no matter where they are located, but the target audience is people from the Sacramento area. I fixed her frustration by creating a birds eye view map of the entire event clearly stating where all the events could be found on the website.
The second proto persona was Marissa Moreno and their main frustration was not having people to talk to and learn about opening a small business in the Sacramento area. This is a frustration that many event go-ers could face because the event would advertise the four main talking points and some people might just want to attend specific talking points. I fixed her frustration by creating a specific talk about Latin Creatives who were able to create their small business from scratch and local vendors will be at the event open to talk about the ins and outs of entrepreneurship.
The third proto persona was Diego Perez and their main frustration was not knowing the English Language. This is a frustration that many event go-ers could face because the event is being advertised as a Latin Event; Therefore, many people are going to expect to be around Spanish speakers. I fixed this frustration by using symbols to represent the wayfinding locations at the event and having Spanish translators at the talking points to accommodate to Spanish only speakers.
Proto-personas informed me on how to take the designing of the branding system for Viva Fest plus the creation of accommodations to influence people to attend the event with specific creation of talks/the inclusion of translators.
The identity for Viva Fest was created using the San Serif typeface, “Altivo” paired with the script typeface “Coffee Service”. Edits were created to give the conference’s logo/system a handmade feel to reflect the inspiration behind the identity system; a poster style called “carteles chicha” (careles=poster chicha=genre of music). This style of poster became popular due to its flashy neon colors and hand painted look during the 80’s throughout Latin America. The posters were mainly created to advertise chicha concerts and them pasted onto walls for passerby's to know when an event was happening near them. Therefore, I took inspiration from carteles chicha when creating the main poster/identity system for the Latin Conference using its bright neon colors, paper texture and overall feel of hand doneness.
The type for “Viva” was purposely tilted in various angles to embody the feeling of movement and excitement that is reflected from the lively Latin cultures. Exclamation points cradle the phrase “Viva” to mirror how exclamation points are used in the Spanish language; an upside down exclamation point is placed in the beginning of a statement and then another at the end of the statement. The phrase “fest” was kept in lowercase with a script typeface to bring a mix of typefaces to the system, such as the carteles chicha posters do. The use of highlighter neon colors paired with bold san serif/handscript type referenced that Viva Fest isn’t like other boring conferences, it was an event created to bring together like minded people with a bit more flavor.
HOW THE EXPERIENCE WILL HELP WITH THE GOALS
Creating a complete identity that speaks to a Latin audience increased the number of attendees due to the use of a style that is already familiar to them. Using “carteles chica” as an inspiration allowed for the audience to feel a sense of being seen and comfortability, which is a huge goal of the conference. The style of the brand system also reflected the bright and vibrant Latin culture to encapsulate the feeling of the conference.
RESEARCH METHODS The main research method used to create the branding system for this project was Image Boards. Creating Image Boards allowed me to get a deeper sense of how the branding system for Viva Fest would look like and make connections to the Latin culture. Using a poster design such as “carteles chicha”, that resonates with the Latin audience allows for a more personal connection with the design to the audience.
The purpose of Awareness when it comes to advertisements is to let an audience get acquainted with a business and or event. The most popular form of awareness is by designing print material and creating a social media campaign to advertise for the event.