The Runningman Festival had a hurdle: while thousands showed up each year for casual 5k fun runs and 50k ultra-marathons, the website lacked inspiration. They needed a digital presence that aligned with the vision and excitement of the event. Our job was clear: Give their website a visual and functionality refresh to entice potential participants.

We discovered a significant disconnect between the festival's electric atmosphere and its online experience. The website was missing the fundamental energy that made the Runningman Festival special. The cluttered navigation and inconsistent branding made it harder for potential participants to learn more and feel encouraged to attend.

The festival had this amazing way of bringing people together—mixing the thrill of a challenge with the warmth of a community event. That's what we wanted to bring to life online. Our approach focused on creating something that felt fun but still made it simple for runners to find what they needed.

We took a multi-angled approach to the redesign, focusing on modernizing the aesthetics while enhancing functionality. While refining the existing color palette, we amplified it to match the festival's energy. 

To add depth and character, we introduced grainy gradient backgrounds that give the design a tactile feel. This subtle touch adds warmth and dimension, helping sections feel more engaging while staying true to the festival’s lively and colorful identity. The typography had a bold makeover, with eye-catching all-caps headers that command attention while while body copy is legible and organized for readability.

To improve navigation and accessibility, we reorganized content for a more natural flow. Behind the scenes, we optimized the site's architecture for search engines, ensuring the festival's digital presence would have reach. We ensured that important information was easy to find, from race registration to event schedules, helping users navigate quickly. The centerpiece is an interactive 3D festival map that lets visitors explore the grounds before attending, while our retro-inspired timetable brings a playful touch to functional design.

The new website captures the festival's spirit with exciting designs and seamless functionality. As a dynamic platform, the Runningman website has the event’s unique experience jumping off the screen yet maintaining practicality. The new, appealing design works harder, with improved navigation, clearer information access, bold typography, and an interactive user journey that piques interest long before race day.