Members of the Simpleview experience design (XD) team traveled to Peoria, Illinois to explore the destination ahead of their upcoming website redesign. After two days spent experiencing all the things that made Peoria unique, it was easy to understand why the Enjoy Peoria team felt their current branding did not reflect who the destination was today, or who they aspired to be in the future. Soon thereafter, the project shifted from a simple website redesign to an entire visual identity rebrand, complete with a new name for the CVB.
The Inspiration
The team wanted to ensure that the new branding encapsulated everything that made Peoria who they were. They started by compiling a list of words that could be used to describe the destination, including outdoorsy, vintage and “baseball town.” Our designers knew the brand would also need to include references to Peoria’s rich history and cultural roots, as well as their status as a riverfront destination.
As they started to visualize these elements, they knew they wanted to put a unique twist on the classic Americana style. As such, they created “Neue Vintage,” a vintage-inspired look that was designed to feel like a new take on something classic, or “familiarity reimaged.”
Logo Breakdown
Before designing a new logo, our designers had to help the CVB settle on a new name. They felt they had outgrown “Enjoy” and they wanted to explore different options. Knowing that the CVB’s goal was not only to attract business and leisure travelers, but also to encourage those visitors to become future residents of the city, our team recommended “Discover Peoria.” The idea being that whether you’re a first-time visitor or a long-time resident, there’s always something new to discover in Peoria.
Once the new name was finalized, it was time to visualize it. Peoria is an industrial town that has always held its riverfront in high regard, so we introduced the half-wheel graphic — a nod to the steel mills and the iconic river boat that still graces Peoria’s shoreline.
Regional Logos
The Peoria CVB encompasses both the region and its neighborhoods, so an additional set of assets was created to support the connectivity between the partners, giving each a distinct look that ladders up to the city’s logo.
Additional Elements
The fonts, color palette and graphics were all combined to make a cohesive variety of assets that could be used for specialty printing, from banners to tote bags to T-shirts.
