RunItaly
Italia Mia Festival Marathon Event Hong Kong (2019)
In 2019, as part of the Italia Mia Festival, RunItaly was envisioned as a celebratory marathon-style event to bring Italian sport and community spirit to Hong Kong. It was designed not only as a race but as an experience: a cultural bridge through running, combining health, lifestyle, and Italy’s heritage.
The task was to create a distinct identity that would both stand on its own as a major sporting event and harmonize with the broader Festival. The brand needed to be bold, active, and instantly recognizable, while staying connected to Italian cultural cues.
Unfortunately, due to the political unrest during the Umbrella Revolution in late 2019, the event never took place. Still, the branding and communications work completed became an exercise in shaping cultural identity through sport and design.
Brand Identity
Logo Design
The logo was built around clean, dynamic geometry, evoking forward motion and rhythm. Letterforms were stylized to feel in motion, echoing a runner’s stride while retaining elegance in line with Italian design heritage.
Color Palette
The palette balanced Italian national identity with contemporary sports branding:
Verde (Green) and Rosso (Red) from the Italian flag.
A crisp Bianco (White) as the primary canvas.
A complementary Blu Mediterraneo (Mediterranean Blue), symbolizing openness and vitality
Typography
Bold sans-serif typefaces were chosen for impact and legibility, paired with lighter, modern italic variations to capture speed and dynamism.
The visual system used modular graphics inspired by race tracks, ribbons, and the shapes of Italian piazzas. Custom illustrations depicted runners alongside Italian icons, from Roman arches to Vespa scooters, merging sport with cultural storytelling.
Marketing & Communication
Website: a dedicated Squarespace microsite was designed as the digital hub. It featured event information, registration flows, sponsor sections, and lifestyle-driven visuals blending runners with Italian backdrops.
Social Media Campaign: templates for Instagram, Facebook, and WeChat were designed to be bold, energetic, and adaptable, focusing on countdowns, training content, and cultural spotlights.
Illustrations: a series of hand-drawn and digital illustrations captured the playful mix of “Italy meets Hong Kong,” used across web and promotional collateral.