3, 2, 1… Virginia Film Festival`s new brand identity is officially in action!
For the festival`s 39th year, we refreshed the brand with a system that reflects its lively character and artistic spirit.
Meet "the loop," a new brandmark formed from one gestural, continuous hand-crafted line. Abstractly forming the letters “VA” within, it symbolizes connectivity and intersection: crossover points within the mark suggest the key in-between moments where stories, artists and audiences meet, and lasting impact is made.
At Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, Le Cirque is the circular garden arbor overlooking the vines, a living circle built around the Circle of Life: no beginning, no end, only continuity, cycles, and connection.
For the new Bordeaux-inspired blend that carries its name, we let the structure lead. Blind embossed linework traces the patterning of the central Mill Stone, radiating outward from a gold foiled core that holds the illustration and echoes the arbor’s 360° experience. Soft neutrals are pulled from the structure itself, finished with elegant typography and metallic detail for a label that feels timeless and architectural.
Otto had the food figured out. Turkish street classics, Mediterranean warmth, a counter that moves fast. What it needed was a brand that reflected the energy and culture of this vibrant kitchen and team.
In the updated wordmark, every letterform is drawn from scratch, soft and rounded, with a pomegranate and nazar nestled within the name. Both are fixtures of the Turkish table, symbols of abundance and protection, and together they give the name a mark that carries meaning as well as character.
From there the system builds out in pomegranate red, deep fig, and evil eye blue. Menus that read in one pass. Cups, caps, and kitchen tees that turn every shift into brand recognition. #restaurantbranding #rvafood #eatrva #vafoodie #eatrva...
Tucked inside The Promissory Hotel, you are beckoned to enter a world of rich terracotta, barreled ceilings, and greenery dripping from soaring ceilings creating an open yet intimate setting to toast over tapas and paella.
Inspired by these inviting interiors, Watermark developed a full identity system rooted in authentic Spanish flavors: a hand-lettered word mark with warmth and movement, a single, continuous-line drawing of an owl that nods to Spanish folklore and good fortune, and a menu suite that feels as considered as the food itself.
Every touchpoint carries the same spirit ~ ¡A disfrutar de la buena!
Meet Sue! Since joining Watermark in 2019, she`s brought years of project management experience across photography, design, and creative services to the team. After building her career in Boston, Philly, and NYC, Sue brought her Northeast hustle to Charlottesville. She is quick on her feet, calm under pressure, and always ready to keep great ideas moving. As Account Director, she`s all about building strong relationships, solving problems, and helping clients bring their vision to life.
Now based in Charlottesville, she enjoys getting outside with her family and working her way through the city`s ever-evolving food scene....
