The goal of this project was to refresh Washington State Parks’ brand to position it as modern, inclusive and accessible to an increasingly diverse audience. Reimagining this familiar brand, guidelines for a cohesive visual language were created and captured in a comprehensive brand book.
A gateway to some of the state’s most treasured lands for locals and visitors, Washington State Parks has a number of competitors when it comes to outdoor access and activities. With over a century in operation, the brand has become outdated and lacks a cohesive visual identity that effectively communicates Washington State Parks’ key pillars of preservation, accessibility and education. How might we re-envision the Washington State Parks’ brand to appeal to its modern target audience while still preserving its rich history?
The goal of this project was to modernize an outdated government entity across its various customer touchpoints. One of the key considerations in this process was to create a cohesive visual language that captured the rich history and spirit of Washington State Parks while improving accessibility for its ever-increasingly diverse users.
The Washington parks system was established in 1913. Through a combination of donated and purchased lands, today Washington State Parks is comprised of over 100 parks. Because of the affordable access and infrastructure provided, the parks draw millions of visitors each year—from near and far. The primary audience of Washington State Parks is middle-class families and young, urban professionals seeking day-use. This demographic values the mental and physical benefits of getting into nature and visits for recreational fulfillment.
Within the next two decades, it is estimated that the state’s population will increase over 20%. During this time, it is expected that it will also become more ethnically diverse—about 90% urban—and that the population of those ages 65 and over will double. To accommodate these changes, it is important that the visual language of Washington State Parks be welcoming and accessible across customer touchpoints.
In order to gain a deeper understanding of Washington State Parks, we began by conducting research of the target audience, history, and competition as well as an audit of the existing brand identity. To simulate working with a client, a peer group was formed within the class and visuals were used to identify the three key pillars of the brand: preservation, access and education.
Guided by the research and visual explorations of the client group, I determined a unique blend of the brand character traits to inform a brand concept: “vital perspectives”. Working from the foundation of a concept board, I explored how to visually express this idea across customer touchpoints ranging from print material to web experience. The visual language of the rebrand was then synthesized into a series of guidelines that were captured in a comprehensive brand book.
Vital Perspectives is a concept that celebrates Washington State Parks as a source of abundance and connection. The parks bring commerce to small towns through tourism and provide an accessible space for individuals to seek out the myriad mental and physical benefits of being outdoors. Experiencing the richness that these parks have to offer provides perspective — whether it be in reflecting on one’s own place in the world, or seeing the beauty of the state from a towering summit.
The visual approach of this rebrand was to allow the spaciousness of these lands to inform a modern and deliberate aesthetic. In signage, the presence of an underlying grid grounds the layout, increasing accessibility. In the photographic style, a wide angle is used to capture a vastness while cropping explores the intimacy of being in nature. Visuals create allure with intentional compositions and inclusivity through imagery that captures visitors of all ages, races and levels of ability enjoying these shared spaces.
Inspired by the treasured lands within the Parks’ system, the new rich and earthy palette conjures up sweeping views of lush meadows and sun-baked canyon walls. These hues celebrate the distinct terrains that sprawl to the east and west of the Cascades.
The redesign of the Washington State Parks’ logo captures the rich history of the parks with a modern lens. The parks are places where history and the present are joined—similar to the indistinguishable start and end of a circle. The use of a halftone texture speaks to the tactile materials used throughout the historic spaces and sites that have been preserved by the Parks—stacked granite, wood rounds and weathered iron.
The reflection represented in the logomark speaks to the new perspectives we gain when connecting with nature. Water magnifies the effects of the natural world around us while at the same time revealing to us a different way in which to see ourselves.
In the digital space, the brand translates to modern grid-inspired layouts softened by the layering of transparencies and pattern. The design of the website places Washington State Parks' digital presence on the same playing field as its key competitors by trading in the familiar "government entity aesthetic" for charming photography and content hierarchy. A simplified navigation and systematic approach to the treatment of buttons and calls to action (CTAs) creates easy access to booking information, pass-purchasing, Parks' news and more.
The brand's social media content aims to inspire followers to "see things differently." Imagery is intentionally framed and professionally shot, highlighting the expansiveness of the over 7 million acres of land in Washington State Parks' care and the intimate connections people have to them.
