work

central iowa water trail

problem solved

creating a destination brand identity

the challenge | creating a memorable and unified brand for a network of 150 miles of water trails and 86 access points throughout the central Iowa region.

industry
outdoors
tourism

collateral
brand identity
name
logo
brand guidelines

modes activated
improving
playing
connecting
socializing
exploring
learning

overview

Central Iowa Water Trails (committees of 20-30 Iowa leaders all investing time, money, volunteerism and reputation) partnered with Spawn to create a destination brand that offers national identity for the project. The brand needed to emotionally connect target audiences with the project, conveying its uniqueness and importance. An effective partnership would create a brand for CIWT that would serve residents, attract workforce and tourism, address water conservation, economic development and fundraising needs.

an ICON for Iowa

Des Moines sits at the confluence of two rivers. The scope of the project was not only to bring together the different waterways but to also bring together all the different stakeholders groups in Central Iowa—The Iowa Confluence. ‘Confluence and Connection’ was a key theme to the work—connecting the rivers together, connecting Iowans (and Iowans at heart) to the water through physical and emotional access, connecting Iowans to each other, and connecting Iowans to conservations and the wild world around them. This audacious and iconic project is on par with Chicago’s Bean and St. Louis’ Arch, a literal ICON for Iowa. We decided to call it that from the beginning.

results

After deep stakeholder engagement (with 45 stakeholders) and in-depth research with 16 groups (including many underrepresented groups) the CIWT approved a new brand: The ICON – The Iowa Confluence Water Trails.