Phoenix-based indie agency, Heart & Soul Marketing, is partnering with the Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) on a major brand refresh for the vibrant, diverse, multi-faceted, yet often misunderstood, state.
Under the new campaign theme of “Vibrant Arizona”, Heart & Soul (H&S) is partnering with AOT to rebrand the image of the state, which despite being one of the fastest growing for the past decade, also wants to dispel myths and misperceptions that have been propagated by the mainstream media and social media.
The brand refresh is anchored by a new logo and a centerpiece video, which were recently unveiled by Governor Katie Hobbs at a launch event at the Governor’s Conference of Tourism (GCOT). The video features a dynamic montage of “diverse faces in unforgettable places”, showcasing Arizona’s diverse culture and communities as well as its wildly eclectic topography, flora, and fauna. From Saguaro Forests to Ponderosa Pines, the video encourages visitors to “feel the beating pulse of vibrant Arizona” and shows off the diversity of its people and surprising diversity of its ecosystems. This hero video as well as other footage will be the source material for future ad campaigns, starting in 2025.
WHY
The current Arizona narrative is often dominated by tired tropes– i.e. oppressive heat, lack of water and border issues— that are often misleading and represent a limited perspective of what Arizona is truly about. Perceptions of Arizona have too often been left to whoever is speaking loudest. The previous absence of a compelling yet authentic statewide narrative means the positive momentum of the state has not been properly reflected nor has the picture of the state been multidimensional. Since Arizona is one of the key “swing” states that will decide this year’s presidential election, AOT and H&S are committed to offering a richer, more nuanced, more accurate, and in-depth portrait of State 48.
WHO
Unlike most travel and tourism campaigns, this brand refresh is first intended to instill pride among current Arizona residents and motivate them to explore even more of the state they call home – many of whom relocated there in the past twenty years.Secondarily, the campaign manifesto not only encourages travelers to visit but also for businesses to set up and expand their operations in Arizona using a positive and emotionally connected narrative capable of shifting paradigms about the state, As declared by Arizona resident Cody Williams, who appears in one of the offshoot videos, “one state fits all” when it comes to Arizona and the legacy it is building.
The new creative that will form the foundation of future advertising and communications efforts was informed by an extensive ten-month qualitative journey, Discovering Arizona, that engaged residents across rural, urban and indigenous communities. This was followed by a quantitative survey that took place in May 2024 to validate the agency’s strategic framework that codified the six communication pillars that will form the thread that residents, travelers and businesses all find true, meaningful and distinctive about Arizona.