Brandifesto | Getting Brands to the Point

What happens when a beloved Kansas institution decides to reinvent itself and gets it so right that a waitress in Panama recognizes the logo?That's exactly what unfolded when the Sedgwick County Zoo set out to rebrand in advance of its 50th anniversary. Bill Gardner sat down with Jennica King, Director of Marketing Communications for the zoo, to talk through the full story. From a conversation that started with a website request and turned into a complete brand overhaul, to the creation of Dandy the lion (a.k.a. the "Kansas lion"), and how a viral chimpanzee video sent their new identity around the world to the tune of 3.2 billion views.We talk about what it really means to build a brand around a story, how to get staff and the public to embrace change, and why a comprehensive style guide is worth every minute it takes to build. The Sedgwick County Zoo's rebrand is a masterclass in doing it right. HighlightsThe Sedgwick County Zoo is the #1 outdoor family tourist attraction in the state of KansasThe rebrand launched in 2019 ahead of the zoo's 50th birthday in 2021, alongside a $15.1 million capital campaignThe project began as a website request — and evolved into a full rebrand when the team realized the brand needed to be established firstNearly 1,000 intercept interviews with visitors and members were conducted, plus an internal staff survey, to discover the zoo's authentic storyConservation had always been part of the zoo's story but had never been effectively told — the rebrand made it central"Dandy" the dandy lion logo was born from the mashup of a Kansas sunflower (the state flower) and a lion — representing both regionality and global conservationA viral chimpanzee video reached 3.2 billion people and brought international recognition to the new brandThe zoo's president was recognized in a remote restaurant in Panama because of Dandy on his hatA thorough visual style guide allowed the zoo's in-house graphics team, outside agencies, and their third-party operations partner to maintain brand consistency seamlesslyChapters0:36 — Introduction and overview of the Sedgwick County Zoo project1:36 — Zoo origins and its public-private partnership with Sedgwick County2:31 — The zoo as Kansas's #1 outdoor family tourist attraction3:07 — Why rebrand a beloved institution? The 50th birthday catalyst4:20 — Master plan phase one: $15.1M campaign, new entry complex, and the Slawson Family Asian Big Cat Trek5:39 — Conservation as the story7:49 — Research process: ~1,000 intercept interviews and internal staff surveys9:32 — How it actually started: a website request, not a rebrand10:43 — Designing the logo before the brand: building visual vocabulary first12:28 — Meet Dandy: the Kansas lion/sunflower mashup and how he got his name12:28 — Going viral: 3.2 billion views and international recognition in Panama15:32 — Style guide and managing brand consistency across multiple teams18:50 — The website: passion project and ongoing labor of love20:24 — Rebrand fears, staff apprehension, and the story that tied it all together 22:56 — Wrap-up and the ongoing partnershipResourcesGardner Design Case Study for Sedgwick County Zoo - https://gardnerdesign.com/work/sedgwick-county-zooSedgwick County Zoo -  https://scz.org/Brandifesto is brought to you by Gardner Design. Ready to build a brand that consistently connects across all touchpoints? Then visit us at gardnerdesign.comThis podcast is part of the ICT Podcast Network. For more information, visit ictpod.net.