Moon+Stars

Every summer, Moon+Stars transforms Locarno into a festival in a class of its own. Between the lake, the Old Town, and the Ferris wheel, over 160,000 visitors enjoy international music acts, culinary delights, and a unique atmosphere. A permanent fixture in the Ticino summer, it is a festival that has unmistakably evolved in recent years. Now, with a refined positioning and visual identity, Moon+Stars aims to set itself apart from festival competitors and unlock new potential.

From concert evening to getaway

The primary audience for Moon+Stars is largely based in German-speaking Switzerland. The new positioning addresses the challenge of motivating this target audience to make the journey south. Rather than focusing solely on individual concert evenings, the offering now inspires a getaway built around a concert highlight. The experience has been reimagined on a grander scale, allowing the brand to think far beyond the festival grounds.

A stage for the Experience

With this broader vision comes an elevated design ambition. The brand presence needs to feel more premium and provide a sophisticated stage to truly showcase the experience.

With the rebrand, the brand unfolds new qualities spatially, digitally, and across the entire experience. A dynamic brand universe makes the festival feeling tangible far beyond the Piazza Grande. It was developed in close collaboration with the Moon+Stars team, inspired by the colours of Locarno, the facades of the Piazza, and the ambition to create one consistent brand that spans everything from the poster and the website to the stage and the wristband.

A Systematic Playground

The brand is a playground. A few distinct elements provide the ingredients which, by following simple rules, can be combined into countless possibilities. 1,001 facets, yet one unmistakable expression. The brand benefits from this particularly in its spatial applications: it welcomes guests at the railway station, guides them to the festival grounds, declares its local connection in the shop windows of independent businesses, radiates a Mediterranean ambience on the Food+Music Street, and serves as an unforgettable backdrop on the Piazza Grande.

A Consistent Brand Journey

The M+S journey begins long before arrival: in advertising, in communication, and now, also in inspiration. The „getaway" concept seeks out its stories across the entire region. Take the content format "Giro di Luca", for instance, where insider tips are shared via video, featuring a cable car ride up Cardada Cimetta, a waterfall hike, or lunch in a hidden grotto. Moon+Stars is marketing itself like a destination. This perspective not only broadens the promise made to visitors, but also opens up new avenues for offerings and collaborations with brand partners. This broader vision strengthens the brand across all touchpoints.

Moon+Stars 2026 marked the successful premiere of this new self-image and new identity. A brand identity that gets under your skin.

“Moon+Stars is arguably the most beautiful festival in Europe – from the setting to the atmosphere. With this new identity, we are opening a chapter that makes our roots in Locarno visible.”

Fabian Keller, Chief Marketing Officer Moon+Stars