MILWAUKEE (April 16, 2024) – With all eyes on Milwaukee in 2024, and
as the community is about to experience a landmark summer for tourism,
Visit Milwaukee [4] is thrilled to announce its new corporate brand,
which updates the look, feel and tone of its corporate logo, advertising
campaigns, website, messaging and more. This marks the first new
corporate brand for the company since the current brand and logo were
introduced in 2005.
The final work being unveiled today was created with the input of
thousands of Milwaukeeans from all areas of the community and is
designed to be utilized by the community to create cohesive and
inclusive positive branding to further elevate the destination’s
reputation.
Working in tandem with Visit Milwaukee on this effort was the
Milwaukee-based branding firm Ocupop [5], which created the logo, and P3
Development’s [6] Genyne Edwards, who led the research and community
input strategy over the last two years.
“We couldn’t be more excited about the new Visit Milwaukee brand,
which was made possible because of all of the thoughtful feedback and
ideas that local leaders, businesses, frontline staff, and thousands of
residents contributed to the research phase of this work,” says Visit
Milwaukee President & CEO Peggy Williams-Smith. “We’re also
tremendously grateful for the hard work of Ocupop and P3 Development,
who took all of that feedback, plus our own, and worked with us to
create something we’re incredibly proud of. I think this new look
reflects the people who made it – and make tourism possible – in
Milwaukee. All Milwaukeeans can find something within it and the
messaging around it that reflects their experience here, and that was
incredibly important to us. After all, it’s our residents and their
welcoming nature that keep visitors coming back year after year.”
Created based on the most popular feedback from the two years of
research, surveys and interviews, the new brand and logo are anchored to
the following messaging themes about Milwaukee: Fresh, flavor, and
forward. These themes are not a slogan but are meant to guide Visit
Milwaukee’s messaging and advertising efforts with the hope that some
of their elements may be adopted by other organizations across the
community. The new Visit Milwaukee logomark incorporates those themes,
resulting in a bold design that features three M shapes.
The new brand will be rolled out in all formats over the next 18 months,
including but not limited to influencer campaigns, local event
activations and sponsorships, a new television commercial, Visit
Milwaukee’s first ever merchandise available for sale, and the
company’s first ever physical visitor center, which will be housed
within Baird Center. A more comprehensive list of ways the brand will be
rolled out to both local and national audiences can be found below.
Visit Milwaukee’s current “Milwaukee Fresh” and Burke Brise
Soleil-based logos will be eventually phased out as the new look is
incorporated across channels.
“This new brand captures so much of what makes Milwaukee unique –
our fresh coast and big ideas, our cultures that create the local flavor
that makes us interesting, and the energy and celebration that are
giving us so much forward momentum right now,” says Josh Albrecht,
Visit Milwaukee’s Vice President of Marketing & Communications, whose
team is responsible for executing the brand. “I couldn’t be prouder
of the team led by Kathryn Lavey who brought this to life and are
putting it out into the world in large-scale and exciting ways. With
major media opportunities ahead of us, the time was right to seize on
the momentum Milwaukee is enjoying with a bold new look.”
Milwaukee Messaging:
* Milwaukee is a city where big, fresh ideas inspire us; where
bright, bold flavor unites us; and where we
move forward together with a celebratory, collaborative spirit. Each
pillar speaks to core Visit Milwaukee values of gathering, access,
momentum and cultural diversity, while highlighting Milwaukee’s legacy
and personality.
* Milwaukee Fresh is the spirit of innovation and exploration that
surges through a city where different cultures, ideas and perspectives
continually converge.
* Milwaukee Flavor is the songs, meals, gatherings and traditions
arising from all the corners of a city where people from around the
world came to seek community and opportunity.
* Milwaukee Forward is what surrounds the community: the people,
the positivity, the collaborative energy, and the welcoming and generous
spirit.
The Visit Milwaukee Logo
Heartbeat of the City
The top line stands for Milwaukee’s heartbeat and the vibrant energy
that pulses throughout the city.
Celebrating Our Water
The middle line celebrates our water: our Lake Michigan coastline, and
also the rivers that wind throughout our community and act as a
perpetual source of innovation and inspiration.
Diversity
The third line represents diversity. The magic of Milwaukee isn’t
rooted in any particular landmark or tourist attraction, but in the
combined strength of every person and culture represented here.
As part of the new brand, the company is also using sentence case in all
references to the company’s name, departing from the style of an
all-capitalized “Visit.”
Where Milwaukeeans Will See the New Brand
Visit Milwaukee has partnered with Culture x Design [7] to sponsor
activations at seven unique Culture x Design-curated events with local
women and minority-led organizations throughout 2024. Each activation
will include collaboration with the associated BIDs and NIDs. The events
include: Fruition MKE Grand Opening; Summer of Soul: Outdoor Market &
Concert Series; Fresh Coast Boat Cruise & Water Journey; Bronzeville
Week; MKE Fashion Week; Blackity Black Holiday Market; and Groove Theory
Concert Series.
The new brand will also be incorporated into the company’s existing
activations at PrideFest, Juneteenth Day, Puerto Rican Fest, and the
Veterans Day Parade.
Visit Milwaukee partnered with local influencers to showcase their love
of Milwaukee and the new brand via promotion on their respective social
media channels. The expanding list of influencers includes:
* @simplyplated
* @itsjohnnycyrus
* @graceweber
* @mkeeeeeats
* @emily_stonee
* @jmattmke
* @natevomhof
* @ericaexploresmke
* @flightsflights
* @wisconsincheeseplease
* @allgoodsmke
* @Thriftywithacompass
* @Midwesthikeshops
* @emily_stonee
* @envisionself
* @emmitt_james
* Judge Derek Mosley
* Sandra Dempsey
For the first time in company history, and in collaboration with Reyes
Retail, Visit Milwaukee will debut a new e-commerce store featuring
branded items this spring.
In _Milwaukee Magazine’s_ upcoming “Dine Out” booklet, Visit
Milwaukee will be featured prominently on cover four and in the issue
with two full-page advertisements and sponsored _Milwaukee Magazine’s_
upcoming annual “The Chef Event” on April 17.
Where Future Visitors Will See the New Brand
Through print media, Visit Milwaukee advertised in a “Top
Chef”-focused issue of _Midwest Living_ in March, with a full-page ad
on cover four featuring the new brand and highlighting “Flavor”
through the soon-to-be-released Visit Milwaukee-branded cookbook.
Visit Milwaukee is also investing heavily in digital advertising through
Huddled Masses to reach multicultural audiences within a six-hour drive
range, with a media mix that comprises display/native, video, YouTube,
and audio placements. The company will also be working with Epsilon for
digital display placements.
The company will soon relaunch its City of Festivals summer advertising
campaign that will be executed with a Hopper Media Buy, Expedia Co-op
and targeted Google ad buy. The City of Festivals summer advertising
campaign will also feature billboard advertising along highways from
drive markets promoting Milwaukee and overnight stays.
Visit Milwaukee is also partnering with Milwaukee-based Foureva Media on
a 10-episode podcast season about culinary community members and
restaurants with a dedicated 2-minute segment highlighting Milwaukee in
each episode. The podcast will be heavily promoted across various
platforms, including The Truth Radio, Streamcast, social media, and
earned and paid marketing.
All out-of-market leisure and meetings and conventions campaigns, plus
the company’s tradeshow booth will eventually incorporate all of the
new branding.
High resolution video and graphic assets are available for download
here. [8] To schedule an interview with a company spokesperson about the
new brand, please contact Claire Koenig ([email protected];
(414-520-6708) or Ian Thompson ([email protected]; (262-365-1880).
About Visit Milwaukee
Visit Milwaukee creates economic impact and supports a stronger, more
inclusive community by promoting the Greater Milwaukee area as a premier
tourism destination. Strengthened by Visit Milwaukee’s dynamic
convention and leisure marketing initiatives, tourism to Milwaukee
contributes $6.018 billion to the local economy, supporting over 43,000
hospitality employees. Visit Milwaukee has over 950 members, including
hotels/motels, restaurants, attractions, services, and area businesses.
The Wisconsin Center District, whose Baird Center expansion will be
complete in May 2024, the city of Wauwatosa, and Potawatomi Casino |
Hotel are strategic partners with Visit Milwaukee, providing funding
support for conventions and tourism programs. For more information call
(800) 554-1448 or visit www.visitmilwaukee.org [9].
