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Arizona Office of Tourism

State Brand Refresh

We rebranded Arizona by proving it’s got a lot more color than what it gets credit for.

Brand and Creative Strategy, Copywriting and Concept Development, Graphic Design and Art Direction, Video Production, Influencer Activation, Social Media Strategy and Content Production, Public Relations

Vibrant Arizona logo over a desert sunset with saguaro cactus

The Challenge

Many people who have never visited Arizona assume it’s a flat, brown, barren desert with one noteworthy canyon. So how do we rebrand the state in a way that can confront and change those misperceptions?

The Solution

We started with “Discovering Arizona”, the most inclusive listening tour in the state’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 were priceless, and after finishing the tour the answer was obvious: Arizona is alive with an energy that can only be described as Vibrant. Not just because of our colorful landscapes 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. 

Arizona Office of Tourism brand logo with sun and mountain icons.

The Submark Logo

AZ logo with mountain design over an Arizona landscape

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.

AOT State Brand Refresh color palette swatches
Mandala design for AOT State Brand Refresh

Arizona's Pattern

  • Sunrays

  • Saguaro Cactus

  • Hummingbird

  • Ponderosa Pine Tree

  • Apache Trout

  • Desert Wildflowers

  • Starlight/Open Skies

  • Mountain Valleys

  • Rainbows

  • Monsoon Clouds

  • Petroglyph Hand

  • Agriculture

  • Microchip

  • Water Symbols

  • Sunrays

  • Saguaro Cactus

  • Hummingbird

  • Ponderosa Pine Tree

  • Apache Trout

  • Desert Wildflowers

  • Starlight/Open Skies

  • Mountain Valleys

  • Rainbows

  • Monsoon Clouds

  • Petroglyph Hand

  • Agriculture

  • Microchip

  • 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.

The 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.

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