how to launch a running festival in just 5 months

Covasna County had the scenery and the runners, but it lacked a central event to anchor the community. Launching a debut race is always a "cold start" problem: you need participants to build credibility, but you need credibility to attract participants. We had to establish trust from the very first pixel and take SepsiRUN from a first-edition concept to an athlete-endorsed movement in just 120 days.

When an event has no history, the design must carry the weight of its credibility. If the brand communication feels established and scalable, runners will trust that the hydration stations will actually be there on race day. We stripped away the typical noise of sports marketing; we focused instead on a clean visual language and a core message that speaks directly to a runner's true motivation: Find your path.

We designed a modular identity built for motion. 

• The System: The visual language was stress-tested to transition seamlessly from 6-inch mobile screens to 5-meter race-day gates.
• The Narrative: We activated the local community while simultaneously positioning Sfântu Gheorghe as a national destination for a weekend running getaway, achieving a digital reach of 250,000 people.

The brand traction was immediate; it allowed the organisers to welcome a wave of interest that far exceeded expectations, turning a first-time experiment into a success.

• Growth: The brand successfully doubled the initial target of participants, bringing 1,100 runners to the starting line.
• Advocacy: The ultimate win was seeing national-level elite athletes step up as official brand ambassadors. When the pros believe in the brand, the community follows.