Visit Edmond reveals a fresh new brand

Every week, visitors come to Edmond for many reasons. It could be a business conference at the Edmond Conference Center, a baseball tournament at AC Caplinger baseball fields, a downtown festival, or a rodeo at the Lazy E Arena. And that is just a small portion of the events and places that draw visitors to our city. Edmond continues to grow as a destination for sports, conferences, vacations, and more.

Continued growth and a desire for an enhanced image led city leaders to embark on a journey to rebrand Visit Edmond into a fresh and welcoming voice. “It is time for a fresh, fun, and bold look,” wrote Jennifer Thornton in an email to stakeholders about the rebrand. The previous Visit Edmond logo was designed 30 years ago and no longer conveyed the vibrant community that Edmond is today. 

Edmond has a history of hosting events and welcoming visitors. LibertyFest began in 1973 and continues to bring thousands of people. It has gained national recognition as one of the country’s best Fourth of July celebrations. That history continues today with new facilities like the completely remodeled Kickingbird Golf Club, new tennis center, improvements to Service Blake Soccer Complex, and the new Arcadia Lake master plan, to name a few.

Nuevo Studio, a brand design firm founded by UCO graduate Naoma Serna-Zahn, led the complete strategic branding efforts. Visit Edmond staff, elected leaders, The Visit Edmond Tourism Board, and public stakeholders engaged in a strategic session to discuss tourism, vision, culture, and more. The listening sessions and brainstorming included who Edmond has been in the past, where we are today, and what Edmond might look like in the future. One of the main themes that emerged was the idea of connecting. Edmond connects rural and urban, business and pleasure, relaxed yet vibrant, and “small-town charm and big-city entertainment.”

Jennifer Thorton, Director of Visit Edmond, and her staff worked with Nuevo Studios to create a logo, tagline, and visual assets showing a complete brand story. Visit Edmond now focuses on their What, How, and Why:

What

Visit Edmond is your local tourism department, dedicated to simplifying and amplifying your experience. Our goal is to provide you with curated resources to discover all the wonderful things our city has to offer.

How

At Visit Edmond, we believe in the power of collaboration to bring people together. Whether you’re here for a business conference or for a weekend getaway, we’re your go-to source for making your visit enjoyable and hassle-free. We do this with an active digital presence, travel guides, and connecting with community members to bring fun activities to you.

Why

Visit Edmond is all about enhancing the quality of your visit. Whether you are coming to Edmond for work or pleasure we are here to help guide you to make the most of your stay. 

The new tagline fits everything envisioned by staff and the branding team: “Visit Edmond – A place to be connected.”

The new branding is more than just a logo and tagline. Nuevo Studios presented an entire brand package. The new style guide includes fonts, colors, differentiators, and more. The entire brand voice centers on Visit Edmond’s values:

• Be Hospitable
• Be Kind
• Be Bold
• Be Connecting
• Be Fun

Connection is not just for travelers and guests. Visit Edmond identified current residents, ex-Edmond citizens, and UCO graduates as target demographics. Former residents and students may live close by in OKC or far away but don’t always know about the new events and attractions here in Edmond. This new marketing focus will help them return to experience all Edmond has to offer. 

Current residents were also identified and will be focused on 5% of the department’s marketing budget. This effort will focus on those “who may have overlooked the city’s evolving offerings in favor of venturing into OKC.” 

All this work isn’t just to show off what Edmond has to offer. Tourism drives real revenue for businesses and sales tax for the City to operate. Restaurants, hotels, and vacation homes are a portion of the businesses that benefit from visitors coming to play, eat, and stay in Edmond. Hotels alone bring in over $1 million each month in room fees alone. A lodging tax, or visitor’s tax, of 4% goes towards the city’s budget of tourism dollars. Guests who shop, eat, and play help support our local businesses. 

Visit Edmond supports local businesses by keeping up-to-date listings on their website, VisitEdmondOK.com, and by working to bring more visitors into the city. Thornton says, “Visit Edmond’s priority is welcoming more events, conferences and tournaments while showing visitors how to experience Edmond…Edmond bridges the gap between rural and city living, offering a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere. Visit Edmond is a trusted resource, helping visitors explore, connect, and make the most of their time in our city.”

Mayor Darrell Davis was pleased with the work of Visit Edmond and the new brand. He said, “Tourism is vital to Edmond – both in what it means to our local economy and in all that adds to the quality of life for our residents and our visitors. It’s why we invest so much in supporting tourism, and Visit Edmond is an invaluable asset in spreading the message about all Edmond has to offer to the region and beyond. This new brand only helps amplify all of that team’s efforts and its significance to our community.”