In response to the rising prominence of Punjabi culture and bhangra in the mainstream, RED FM seized the opportunity to leverage this cultural wave. Evolving from Vancouver’s most popular South Asian radio station, RED FM had extended its reach to Calgary and Toronto. However, faced with a saturated local radio landscape, the need to captivate public attention became imperative.

As Punjabi luminaries like Diljit Dosanjh and AP Dhillon achieved global recognition, RED FM formulated a strategic response: the creation of a free music festival set against the backdrop of the illustrious Celebration Square in Mississauga. In a bid to break free from conventional tropes, RED FM collaborated with STUDEO Design, embarking on a journey to redefine the festival’s branding and transcend clichés.

Our initial inspiration stemmed from the “torla” of the bhangra outfit, a decorative piece atop the pagh symbolizing pride. However, we realized the peacock pattern, often associated with torla design, had become cliché in representing East Indian culture.

Our revised direction drew inspiration from “phulkari” embroidery, commonly used in celebratory clothing and bhangra performances. Given the festival’s focus on celebrating Punjabi culture, this choice felt more fitting. We streamlined the patterns into vibrant colour geometry, ensuring the branding stood out at the event while subtly complementing the essence of phulkari when styled appropriately.

The Summer Bhangra Jam catapulted RED FM into the spotlight, drawing tens of thousands of attendees. Leveraging their entertainment industry connections, they secured impressive performers, both local and international. The sponsors were enamored with the branding, to the extent that they incorporated it into their own displays—Scotiabank even had custom-made ice cream napkins featuring the festival’s design. The future looks bright for the Summer Bhangra Jam with plans to expand the events to Calgary and Vancouver, and eventually all over North America.