[The Arizona Office of Tourism]
Arizona State Brand Refresh
Brand and Creative Strategy // Copywriting and Concept Development // Graphic Design and Art Direction // Video Production // Social Media Strategy and Content Production // Public Relations
[Background]
Many people who have never lived, worked, or visited Arizona assume that it is simply a flat, brown, barren, and empty desert. And for decades, the state has been positioned around one famous Canyon. And although that canyon is pretty grand, those who have been here know that we are so much more than that.
That’s why the Arizona Office of Tourism enlisted our help to rebrand the state in a way that would confront and change misperceptions about Arizona by telling the full story of all the amazing things happening across the entire State 48. Importantly, they wanted the rebrand to feel like a true reflection of all the voices of Arizona.
And who better to hear from about what makes this state so wonderful than those who live here themselves? Introducing “Discovering Arizona”, the most inclusive listening tour in Arizona’s history.
From bustling cities to rural farms and everywhere in between, we spent 11 months traveling to every corner of the state, talking to more than 2,000 Arizonans about what they love most about the place they call home.
The conversations we had were priceless, and after finishing our listening tour, the answer was obvious: Arizona is alive with an energy that can be only be described as Vibrant. Not just because of our vibrantly colorful landscapes, scenery, and aesthetics, but also our flourishing arts & culture, vivid outdoor adventures, and thrilling business opportunities.
Welcome to one of the largest endeavors our agency has embarked on.
Welcome to Vibrant Arizona.
The Brand Launch Video
The Vibrant Arizona brand launch video unveiled our rebrand for the first time at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism (GCOT) in August 2024, as the accumulation of everything we heard in our listening tour, and the new overarching story of Arizona that future tourism campaigns will draw from.
The Primary Logo
Bold, strong, stretched type gives dynamic forward-feeling energy while crisp lines with soft, slightly rounded corners provide a subtle southwestern touch. The mountain range that connects the Z to the N represents all of the various peaks and valleys throughout the state. The ‘O’ reflects our warmth and bright disposition, crafted to resemble a rising sun above the mountains; a vivid reminder of the new day and vibrant future ahead.
The Making of Arizona’s
New Logo and Colors
The Submark Logo
The Color Palette
Vivid Terrain, the new Arizona color palette, is a rich and joyful expression of our land and its natural wonders.
Open Skies Turquoise grounds the palette as Arizona’s primary color, representing the mineral most significant to Arizona’s Indigenous cultures and the deep blues of our vast skies and waters.
Sunrise Copper conveys the natural energy of the sun, with the copper tone paying homage to the state flag and the historic roots in the mineral.
Two beautiful shades of green called Desert Sage and Pine Green encapsulate the broad range of flora and fauna found within the state.
Setting Sun Magenta is the attention-grabbing effervescent hue brightly showcasing the sunset skies, and is the key color of the Hummingbird location icon.
Lastly, the palette is complemented by Warm Sand, a creamy taupe color
that invitingly contrasts the bolder hues to softly round out the palette.
Arizona's Pattern
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Sunrays
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Saguaro Cactus
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Hummingbird
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Ponderosa Pine Tree
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Apache Trout
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Desert Wildflowers
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Starlight/Open Skies
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Mountain Valleys
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Rainbows
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Monsoon Clouds
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Petroglyph Hand
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Agriculture
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Microchip
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Water Symbols
Arizona is more than just one famous landmark—it is an accumulation of the countless incredible people, places, ecosystems and cultures that make our state so uniquely vibrant. To celebrate and showcase this, we wanted to leverage an authentic and meaningful artform that could encapsulate the diverse spectrum of elements that make State 48 truly special. A design in which all Arizonans can see a part of themselves, and be something they would be proud to stand behind.
Arizona’s Pattern is based on the concept of a woven basket — a craft that has significant spiritual and utilitarian importance for Indigenous people worldwide. From the gathering and meticulous preparation of natural materials to the thoughtful formation and execution of designs, these handmade art forms hold numerous prayers, blessings, and symbolic meaning. It was only fitting to use this concept as the foundation of this contemporary design. It honors and celebrates Arizona’s rich history, the land, and the continuous, good work that is happening to bring us more promising days ahead.
The Making of Vibrant Arizona
Get a peek behind the scenes at what went into Arizona’s brand-new look.
Media Coverage
In less than a week, the unveiling of Vibrant Arizona earned 46 media placements across broadcast, radio, print and digital totaling an estimated $1.2 million in ad equivalency.
