In the competitive realm of tourism, a destination's identity is crucial for standing out and attracting visitors. Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) play a pivotal role in shaping this identity, with logo design being a cornerstone of effective branding. Simpleview offers specialized services in logo design that help DMOs create memorable and impactful identities. Here’s how DMOs can leverage Simpleview’s expertise.
"The new brand has inspired the team and our stakeholders; it captures how we want to communicate with our visitors. It also helps set the expectation of what you get when you’re in Rapid City … a bold, unforgettable experience."
Brook Kaufman, President & CEO at Visit Rapid City
The Power of a Well-Designed Logo
A logo is often the first visual interaction a potential visitor has with a destination. It encapsulates the essence of the place and conveys its promise to visitors. Simpleview’s approach to logo design ensures that each logo is not just aesthetically pleasing but also meaningful and representative of the destination’s unique story. Think of it like a hard drive — customers connect and save all their thoughts, positive and negative, to your visual identity.
The recognizability and the perceptions attached to the identity is called brand equity; a new visual identity is a way to build new brand equity.
Key Elements of Effective Logo Design
Memorability and authenticity
A successful logo is simple yet memorable. Simpleview’s design philosophy centers on creating logos that are easy to recognize and recall while also being inspiring and influential. The logo should build credibility and desirability for visitors and remain true to the destination. Authenticity creates uniqueness amongst competitors.
Reflecting local identity
Effective logos reflect the local culture, history, and environment. Simpleview’s design process involves extensive research and collaboration with local stakeholders to ensure that the logo resonates with both locals and visitors. This authenticity strengthens the destination’s brand and fosters a sense of pride among residents.
Versatility and timelessness
A good logo stands the test of time and can adapt to various applications. Simpleview design experts create logos with versatility in mind, ensuring they look great whether they’re on a business card or a large banner. The designs are also crafted to remain relevant and appealing for many years, avoiding trends that may quickly become outdated.
Strategic and purposeful
Logos should be based on rational design decisions, supported by deep and thoughtful research. Simpleview’s creative services team takes it one step further with discovery by means of destination immersions. Your assigned team joins you in your destination to experience it firsthand from a traveler’s perspective, and applies it directly to the visual identity project.
Success Stories in Visual Identity
Simpleview has a track record of successful logo designs that have significantly boosted the branding efforts of numerous destinations. For example, the rebranding of Visit Cheyenne involved creating a logo that highlighted its vibrant western scene and natural beauty, while providing a more modern and inclusive approach to the destination. The new logo played a key role in repositioning the destination and in the destination’s website redesign and marketing direction.
“The visual identity overhaul allowed us to jump-start an overall brand refresh. We used the process to create new ad copy, define where we wanted to go visually with our marketing, and launch into the website redesign.”
Jim Walter, CDME, Vice President and Director of Sales and Marketing,Visit Cheyenne
