Visit California

Nonprofit Organization

Project: Case Study

About: California Travel & Tourism Commission operating as Visit California.

Based In: Sacramento, California

Services: Visual Identity

Intro

Visit California is a 501(c)6 nonprofit corporation formed in 1998 to market California as a desirable tourism destination. Visit California is the Golden State’s official travel and tourism board with a mission to develop and maintain global marketing programs, in partnership with the state's travel industry, that keep California top of mind as the ultimate travel destination.

Goals

Encapsulate California's iconic sunsets & diverse natural beauty and introducing a more vibrant and modern visual identity that resonates for travellers.
Emphasizing Connectivity by representing the 12 distinct regions of California within the broader brand identity, simbolizing unity, diversity, and interconnection.
Revitalizing the visual identity by implementing new designs that are cohesive and consistent to properly reflect California's dynamic qualities.

Process & Strategy

Logo Redesign: Developed a bold new logo that omits the star and wave elements to create a more professional tone while staying consistent with the overarching brand.
#calove Campaign: Refreshed the typography of the California Love Heart and #calove to complement the updated logo design, focusing on crisis communications use.
Outlook Forum Branding: Updated the logo for Visit California's signature industry event to align with the modernized visual identity.
12 Regions Badges: Designed badges that integrate California's natural treasures into a unified symbol, with shapes resembling sun flares and poppy petals.

The redesign aimed to blend nature inspired elements with contemporary design, creating a visual identity that reflects California's adventurous and welcoming ethos. The use of sunset inspired hues conveys warmth, vibrancy, and movement.

Logo
Before | After

Logo
Before | After

Outlook Forum
Before | After

#calove
Before | After

Creative Solution

The updated visual identity features a bold logo with sunset and dusk-inspired hues, blending nature-inspired elements with contemporary design. The 12 region badges symbolize unity and diversity, reflecting the rich cultural and ecological tapestry of California.

Primary Logo:

The updated logo design features a new bold style that omits the star and the wave elements to create a more professional tone while staying consistent with the overarching brand. Sunset and dusk inpired hues blend nature inspired elements with a contemporary design.

#calove:

The California Love Heart and #calove focus on crisis communications use such as natural disaster recovery (ie. fire, flood, or earthquakes). #calove received a typographical refresh to complement the updated logo design.

Outlook Forum:

The Outlook Forum is Visit California's signature industry event. The logo was updated to complement the modernized and new visual identity.

12 Regions Badges:

California is home to 12 unique regions, each contributing its own character to the Golden State’s vibrant identity. While distinct in their climates, geography, and cultures, they collectively reflect the rich diversity that defines California. Each region plays an integral role in shaping the state’s remarkable landscape and cultural richness.

12 Regions Badges:

The newly designed badges integrates California's natural treasures into a unified symbol. The 12 shapes representing the regions resemble both sun flares and poppy petals, blending the state's landscapes with its cultural and ecological symbolism. Sunset-inspired hues convey warmth, vibrancy, and movement, aligning with California's adventurous and welcoming ethos.

Results

The refreshed visual identity successfully encapsulated California's diverse natural beauty and vibrant culture, resonating with a broad audience of travelers. The cohesive implementation across various materials and campaigns strengthened brand recognition and reinforced California's position as a premier travel destination.