The new logo and visual identity for Calgary’s civic brand, Blue Sky City, will be shared with the community at First Flip – the first unofficial Stampede event of the year.
The visual identity was inspired by beadwork which captures Calgary’s story as a place of confluence where peoples, lands, cultures and ideas come together. The beadwork symbolizes the story of each individual Calgarian, and when these stories and individuals come together, the sum of their parts is greater than the whole.
The brand will continue to use red in its colour palette, along with the incorporation of blue and yellow.
Calgary's Blue Sky City logo inspired by beadwork
“Our city has been through many challenges over the years, but we are resilient and community focused. When we come together, there is no limit to what we can overcome and achieve,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
“Stampede is about our city coming together to celebrate that community spirit. I can’t think of a better time to share this milestone with Calgarians.”
The new logo and other visual elements will be shared at community events in the coming months. Civic and community partners will also begin to integrate the new brand into their organizations and public facing communications, while Calgarians are encouraged to learn about the brand and how they can share it through a publicly available website.
The new visual identity comes after community partners shared Calgary’s new brand in April that tells a story about Calgary being a city of blue-sky thinking and innovation, a place of unexpected possibilities and a place of confluence for people from diverse backgrounds. By celebrating the history and diversity of Calgary, it is designed to reflect all Calgarians.
The Blue Sky City brand also serves as a reference to Calgary being the sunniest city in Canada with 333 days of sunshine each year.
“As a city evolves – so too does its brand”, says Alisha Reynolds, President and CEO of Tourism Calgary. “Tourism Calgary works every day to attract national and international visitors to our city, which in turn injects billions of dollars into our economy. Having a strong brand – one that honours our past while also embracing who we are today - is an investment in our city.”
New brand reflects Calgary's diverse community
Research conducted by Calgary Economic Development and Tourism Calgary showed Calgary’s former brand didn’t resonate with Calgarians or people outside Alberta. In response, the two organizations, in partnership with the City of Calgary, undertook a process to identify a new brand that was reflective of all Calgarians.
In total, 129 organizations across 26 sectors were engaged at every phase of the brand work through interviews, workshops, cross-country focus groups and surveys. This engagement was inclusive of a broad range of individuals, taking into account age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and geographic location.
To date, an investment of $1.7 million has been made on brand development and rollout. This includes research and engagement with residents, businesses and visitors through surveys, focus groups and workshops, the development of brand assets for community partners such as photography and videography, the creation of the visual identity including a tool kit and storytelling playbook, as well as promotional materials for upcoming community events.
Calgary Economic Development and Tourism Calgary are now developing national and international marketing campaigns for the new brand as part of their mandates to attract visitors, capital and talent.
“Calgary’s story doesn’t belong to any one group; it belongs to all Calgarians and it’s a story about our collective voices that come together to tell a larger story about who we are as a city,” said Brad Parry, President and CEO, Calgary Economic Development and CEO, Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund.
“That’s why we intentionally engaged with all of our communities to unearth a story that we hope reflects the diversity of Calgarians and draws people to our city to visit, build a life or build a business.”
Explore the new logo and visual identity for the Calgary brand in the publicly available website. Learn more about what it's like to live, work and play in Calgary at LifeinCalgary.ca.