Mega Mega unveils visual identity inspired by Romford’s rave heritage

Mega Mega: Romford’s Suburban Sound Revolution has unveiled its new visual identity, developed by designers Steph Roden and Imogen Ayres, following a public call-out that attracted applications from designers across the UK.

With backgrounds spanning branding, editorial, typography and exhibition design, Steph and Imogen were selected for their research-led approach and sensitivity to the visual culture that surrounded Romford’s electronic music scene. Between them they have previously worked at internationally recognised studios including Kellenberger–White, Graphic Thought Facility and Möbel Type, and have delivered work for organisations and brands including V&A East Storehouse, Lacoste, Starface, Loud & Quiet Magazine, Forza Wine and Zegna.

Working closely with curator Katherine Green and drawing on the growing Mega Mega archive, the designers explored hundreds of flyers, tickets, photographs and pieces of ephemera from clubs and promoters across Havering. Rather than recreating individual flyers, they looked for the visual ideas that connected them: bold typography, repeated forms, DIY production methods, photocopied textures and the playful appropriation of existing imagery that became synonymous with rave graphics.

The identity also draws inspiration from Underworld’s iconic track Born Slippy, itself deeply rooted in Romford. References to the song’s repetition and rhythm informed the typographic system, while the graphic language reflects the energy and layering of the music itself.

A key feature of the identity is a growing library of graphic symbols and illustrations, developed from archival material relating to some of Havering’s most influential clubs, promoters and events. Borrowing from the DIY tradition of rave graphics, these reinterpreted visual motifs reference nights including Culture Shock, Berwick Manor and other landmark moments in the borough’s club culture, creating a visual language that celebrates the creativity and resourcefulness of the original scene rather than simply reproducing it.

The result is an identity that feels contemporary while remaining firmly rooted in Romford’s history—one that will appear across the exhibition, printed materials, wayfinding, merchandise and digital platforms as Mega Mega opens later this year.

The ambition of the design was to pay homage to the past but not be a pastiche, which was a fine line to walk. We wanted to appeal both to people with no previous interest or knowledge in rave, as well as the community who had lived through it and would recognise motifs and references.