VisitArizona.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AZ Tourism Office Unveils Vibrant State Brand for Arizona

PHOENIX (Aug. 23, 2024) — Today the Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) unveiled Vibrant Arizona, a new brand that celebrates the state’s diversity and vibrant culture, unifies the identity of state government, and strengthens the state’s competitiveness as a top tourism and business destination.

The multi-faceted Vibrant Arizona brand includes a logo highlighting Arizona’s diverse geography, a color palette inspired by Arizona’s natural beauty, and six defining pillars of the Arizona experience as shared by Arizonans. The brand was crafted by traveling hundreds of miles across Arizona and engaging more than 2,000 Arizonans about what they love about their communities, their perceptions of Arizona, and their hopes for the future.

It was created through a collaborative effort between AOT, Phoenix-based Heart & Soul Marketing, and community engagement specialists Welcome Strategies. In addition to the geographically diverse presentation of “Arizona,” the new logo also features a pattern created through a partnership between Heart & Soul Marketing and Hopi and Isleta Pueblo artist Kevin Coochwytewa.

"Arizona deserves a brand as vibrant as its people—one that showcases our collective Arizona story," said Governor Katie Hobbs. "Our new state brand highlights the diversity of voices and experiences that make our home so special. Whether you want to hike the Grand Canyon, explore Phoenix’s vibrant food scene, or appreciate the arts and culture of Bisbee, Arizona has something for you. I’m proud to join the Office of Tourism in unveiling a brand that shows the world there is something to explore and discover in all corners of our great state."

“The key to the success of our refreshed state brand is that Arizonans built and own this story about who we are and what we hold dear,” said Lisa Urias, CEO of the Arizona Office of Tourism. “Talking to a wide range of people across the state helped us ensure our updated brand reflects what Arizonans love about the state and want amplified. This brand emerged as a reflection of those amazing experiences.”

                                                                                                  Brand Refresh Images and Video

Arizonans can expect to see the new brand implemented in the following ways:

  • A new multichannel tourism campaign “Vibrant Arizona” will launch in early 2025 to encourage visitation to Arizona from surrounding drive markets, target U.S. cities, and top international destinations.
  • The new “Arizona” brand mark will also be used to unify the identity of state agencies, providing a more complete view of the wide range of services provided by the state.

 

AOT presented this data during its 2024 Governor’s Conference on Tourism, which was held at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa Aug. 21-23, 2024. The annual meeting connects leaders from across the state’s travel and hospitality industry.

The year-long process to develop the brand —“Discovering Arizona: Finding the Future of Arizona’s Story”— featured in-person and digital listening sessions in 57 Arizona communities ranging from Page to Douglas toWindow Rock to Yuma to tribal communities including Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC), Gila River Indian Community, and White Mountain Apache Tribe.

The themes that emerged left no doubt that Arizonans, regardless of location, share many common views about the state, including appreciating its majestic beauty, vibrant culture, and abundant diversity.

About the Brand: 

  • The brand features a logo with multiple variations.
  • Conversations with Arizonans informed the foundation of the brand, which is made up of six pillars: Majestic Beauty; Vibrant Arts, Culture & Experiences; Abundant Diversity; Welcoming Warmth; Strong Connections; and Trailblazing Ingenuity. These defining characteristics of the Arizona experience were identified through the Discovering Arizona Listening Tours, agreed upon by the majority of participants, and then confirmed by a 1,000-participant statewide survey.

 About ‘Vibrant’ Arizona: 

  • One of the most challenging aspects of the process was determining one word or phrase to associate with the “Arizona” brand mark. “Vibrant” ultimately won out for its ability to shift perceptions of Arizona. “Changing the perception of Arizona from being a barren desert to a place filled with vibrancy” was what residents said they wanted.  

About the Logo: 

  • The new Arizona logo combines several defining elements of the state into one visual representation. 
  • The block letters show the state’s strength and permanence, the “Z” morphs into mountains adorned with a single Saguaro, highlighting the diversity of Arizona’s geography. 
  • The most prominent feature is the sun, which gives life, provides astounding beauty, is enjoyed by millions and must be respected. 
  • The pattern adorning the sun incorporates several carefully-chosen symbols that represent Arizona’s people, history, culture, economy and forces that shape life here.            

Brand Refresh Team:

  • Arizona Office of Tourism
  • Heart & Soul Marketing, a Phoenix-based full-service advertising and brand strategy agency, was responsible for the rebranding strategy and visual brand identity
  • Welcome Strategies, Phoenix-based consulting practice specializing in community engagement

“Most importantly, on behalf of the entire brand refresh team, I want to send a heartfelt thank you to all the Arizonans who welcomed us into their communities, took time to engage with us and who opened their hearts to participate in this effort,” said Urias. “We would not have a new Arizona brand to reveal today without you.”

###

AOT Media Contacts:

Josh Coddington, (480) 438-4700, [email protected]

Veronica Quintero, (602) 750-1294, [email protected]

About the Arizona Office of Tourism: The Arizona Office of Tourism works to strengthen and grow Arizona's economy through travel and tourism promotion, positioning Arizona as the leading tourism destination for domestic and international travelers. In 2023, tourism employed more than 187,000 Arizonans and contributed over $4.2 billion in tax revenue to our federal, state and local economies.

 

Brand Refresh Stakeholder Quotes:

“Arizona is a vibrant, diverse state. It’s good to see this administration including Kevin Coochwytewa - a Hopi professional designer - in the execution of this new identity for Arizona,” said Governor Stephen R. Lewis, Gila River Indian Community.

"It's heartening to know that this process engaged Arizona's rich diversity, with the outcome capturing the state's wide-ranging landscapes and environments," said Chairman Robert Miguel, Ak-Chin Indian Community

"Representation of our 22 tribal nations within the new brand of Arizona is critical. We're pleased that Governor Hobbs and the Arizona Office of Tourism took time to visit with us in Navajo and with many of our respective tribal communities to ensure our voices are reflected in the new brand," said Bobby V. Martin, Director, Navajo Tourism Department, Division of Economic Development.

“I’m excited to see something that represents who we are and the vibrancy of our community. AOT was able to tackle a very big, diverse challenge and capture the essence of Arizona and put it into one symbol.” - J. Felipe Garcia, President & CEO, Visit Tucson

“I’m excited to see the new logo, I feel like it’s finally representing all of us and it’s showing all of the elements that make up Arizona. It shows the diversity and the terrain and it really hit the mark.” - Heidi Hansen, Economic Vitality Director, City of Flagstaff

“I love how simply the new logo brings together not just one part of Arizona, but all of Arizona, including the tribal communities. I love it!” - Arden Redshirt, Antelope Canyon Tours

“Vibrant Arizona will help change the perception of our great state and make us more competitive for both tourism and business. Visit Phoenix is excited to embark on this journey with the state of Arizona.” - Ron Price, President and CEO, Visit Phoenix

“Arizona's new brand boldly captures the essence of our state, celebrating our rich culture and diversity. As we strive to create greater demand for all that Arizona has to offer, this brand is a testament to our enduring relevance, inclusivity, and authenticity. It’s a rallying cry that unites support both statewide and locally, ensuring that our spirit resonates with all who visit and live here.” - Marc Garcia, President and CEO, Visit Mesa

“To create a brand that is not only a true reflection of all that Arizona is today, but also captures what it can be in the future, is something I’m so proud of. Our goal is that every Arizonan can look at this new brand and see a piece of themselves in there – all of our stories woven together – and be proud of and excited for the bright future ahead. And that new era begins today.” - Hannah Heisler, Associate Creative Director of Heart & Soul Marketing.

“I have had the honor to work on positioning, launching and refreshing some of the largest consumer brands in the world during my career, but the opportunity to personally be involved in rebranding the state of Arizona – my home for the past 19 years – is the one that I am most proud of,” - Brad Casper Chief Executive Officer of Heart & Soul Marketing.

“As a Hopi, whose people and ancestral lands are ingrained in Arizona’s footprint, I am incredibly honored to have played a role in shaping the future of Arizona's story. To be able to celebrate all that our Indigenous communities contribute not only to our history, but also to our future within the logo itself, speaks to how hard we worked to ensure the new brand was as inclusive as possible.” - Kevin Coochwytewa, Hopi and Isleta Pueblo, Designer.