Computer Arts - UK (2019-08)

INSIGHT

COMPUTERARTS.CREATIVEBLOQ.COM

AUGUST 2019

BRANDON DETHERAGE

Graphic designer and

photographer

http://www.bdeth.com

MARIE-LUCE OUELLET

Brand manager, lg2

http://www.lg2.com

If you spent your formative years in the latter

half of the 20th century then you may be

surprised to learn that Zoo de Granby isn’t

the typical sad-animals-in-cages destination

you may have visited as an elementary student.

No, this is a modern attraction with roller

coasters, water slides and, of course, actual

living animals.

Because 21st century identity design

requires a logo to work in so many physical and

digital spaces, Montreal-based lg2 stepped in

and created a living, breathing identity that fits

the bill perfectly. The logo takes three simple

letters and morphs them into a veritable zoo’s

worth of abstract animal faces. As cute as they

are, the most clever features of the identity are

its flexibility to fit almost any space and the

fact that no matter what shape it takes, the

brand is instantly recognisable.

Add wildly coloured patterns and a bouncy,

fun-loving vibe and you’ve got yourself an

identity fit for an exhilarating theme park that

puts the animals front and centre.

Zoo de Granby first opened its doors in 1953.

Although the non-profit organisation came

from humble beginnings, it hasn’t stopped

growing and accumulating international

accolades since then. Today, it’s a source of

pride for Quebec and a top tourist destination.

To better represent its role as a leader and

its vision, our strategists developed a brand

positioning that guided the team throughout

the creative process: the zoo as ambassador

of the magical animal kingdom. We created

a flexible brand image that reflects the zoo’s

commitment to providing its animals with an

environment that’s been adapted to their needs.

The identity appeals to the entire family.

Young visitors will appreciate the bright colours

and playful animations while adults will be

amused by the typographic characters that

recall animal faces. A bank of animal textures

and vibrant colours was also created to enrich

the platform. The face is a universal and

engaging image, contributing to the popularity

of the new identity.

MARÇAL PRATS

Graphic designer

http://www.marcal.net

I’m in love with the new branding for Granby

Zoo. It makes me happy to see a job so well

done, with its unparalleled strong concept

and brilliant execution. The visual system of

the logo with different proportions perfectly

communicates the concept of ‘diversity’ and

‘fun’. The new design is clean, clever, elegant

and playful. How easy it is now to apply it

on any surface and reproduction technique,

compared with the previous design.

The word ‘Zoo’, with its animal expressions,

is an audacious graphic treatment. In my view,

it would have been nice to also see the word

‘Granby’ able to play with the main logo in the

same way, to create many more exciting and

fun animal face combinations.

I like the way banners and swag feature

different versions and proportions of the

Zoo logo, and ideally I’d like to see it applied

playfully on the stationery too. Right now,

pages, envelopes and business cards only

feature the same regular version, whether they

are different formats and sizes.

The famed Quebec zoo has a new identity thanks to the work

of Montréal studio lg2. Is it a roaring success?

Focus on: Zoo de Granby

REBRAND FOCUS