Madeo In-Kind
Madeo Rebrands the Woodstock Film Festival
The first rebrand in the festival's 26 years transforms its identity as part of deepening support for independent filmmaking and emerging storytellers.
For our 2026 Madeo In-Kind open call, we received applications from over 160 nonprofit organizations. They showed us just how wide the gap is between what smaller nonprofits need and what they can access with limited resources. We shortlisted six inspiring organizations. Each of them is doing exceptional work with very limited resources. In May, we selected the Woodstock Film Festival, offering them a large-scale transformative rebranding project, their first in 26 years.
Why We Selected the Woodstock Film Festival
The Woodstock Film Festival nurtures and supports emerging and established filmmakers, sharing their creative voices through an annual festival and year-round programming to promote culture, diversity, community, educational opportunities, and economic growth.
Independent cinema is navigating real threats: the defunding of public media, the rise of AI-generated content, and the retreat of authentic storytelling. The Woodstock Film Festival described this plainly as “a battle for public consciousness.“
The festival team described to us the disconnect between their current brand and marketing materials that have been lagging behind, and the bold, independent cinema that their programming showcases.
The festival recently became an Academy Awards qualifying festival, attracting many emerging and BIPOC filmmakers to submit their films. “By supporting the festival, we are investing in a multiplier effect. Uplifting them as a cultural institution elevates hundreds of filmmakers and storytellers that address a wide range of issues that deserve attention,” said Ramy Nagy, Madeo’s Principal and Creative Director.
For more than four months, we dedicated six Madeo team members to collaborate on creative direction, brand strategy, brand design, motion graphics, and project management. Madeo created a new brand identity, billboards, posters, merchandise, ads, and holistic marketing assets promoting the festival and supporting the emerging filmmakers they showcase.
Building a Brand as Bold as the Festival
Our discovery interviews showed us that the Woodstock Film Festival wholeheartedly embraces its ability to be prestigious and informal at the same time. What uniquely stood out compared to other festivals is their inclusive approach to bringing a community together. No velvet ropes separate VIP guests from the rest. We were drawn to that and reflected it by bringing the words in the logo so closely together that they become one.
