Warm sand, salty breeze, friendly people, exciting activities, rich history, fashionable shopping, outdoor lifestyles, a positive vibe, a relaxing atmosphere, and lots and lots (and lots) of good food.
This is what we found when we arrived at Ventura County Coast for our team familiarization tour. Ventura County Coast is the consumer-facing brand of the Ventura County Lodging Association, a benefit assessment district that promotes tourism and supports lodging businesses within the cities of Camarillo, Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Ventura – and one of our newest clients. After a competitive bid process, Verdin was selected as their tourism marketing partner and we couldn’t be more excited.
Getting out and exploring an area to get an understanding for the sights, sounds and feels is an important part of our research and intake process. (Not saying it’s not enjoyable too!) When we took the time to research up-close in Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo and Port Hueneme, we were blown away by everything we found.
The challenge came when we sat down to put all these special and unique elements into one visual representation of the four cities and all of those experiences.
And this wasn’t the only research we took into consideration. We took an in-depth look at the tourism landscape, in both the general context and specifics; we analyzed the competitive market; and we worked closely with the board of the Ventura County Lodging Association to determine exactly what their sense of place should be.
Yes, it was a lot to take in, but what’s wrong with a logo having a multitude of meanings? The fun lies in the challenge. And we’re pretty jazzed about the logo that the board selected from the three that we presented.
If you already guessed that the four points in the design represent Ventura County Coast’s four cities – well, then, you’re right. They do. But perhaps in more ways than you thought. The dots act as map coordinates, demonstrating proximity, and the lines express connectedness. The Ventura County Coast brand is a combination of all four cities, and if you just visit one of them, you’re only getting one quarter of the experience.
Here’s a fun fact for you. Did you know that “Ventura” means “fortune”? That’s why we designed those four points to make the shape of a gem, illustrating that Ventura County Coast is a treasure – both in its idyllic location and its unique offering of activities and assets.
And isn’t it a crazy coincidence how the four points in the logo also kind of look like a sail of a boat? Oh, wait… maybe that was intentional too.
Next to our visual map/diamond/boat is a fun and lighthearted lettering, allowing the words themselves to break out of a standard font into an identity that reflects what they represent. The typography is casual, happy, welcoming and stylish – with all that great shopping and trendy fashion sense, we needed it to be expressive.
The color palette we chose for the Ventura County Coast brand further enriches the visual representation. The gold reflects that warm Southern California sun that is perfect for both active lifestyles and serene relaxation. The sun brings life to Ventura County Coast. And it’s balanced out by the cool blue hues in the sparkling water and vast sky. The blue and gold embody not just the ocean, but also the area’s maritime heritage and sunshine-filled skies.
In every aspect, the logo that we dreamed up is a visual embodiment of what you’ll see around you when you visit Camarillo, Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Ventura. Check it out for yourself here. And then, well, we’d recommend actually visiting Ventura County Coast, because we’re sure you’ll like that, too.
