State’s New Brand Reaches Wolf Point
Montana’s new brand was featured during both parades at the Wolf Point Wild Horse Stampede on July 11-12.
Montana Department of Commerce officials noted the brand is inspired by and created to represent Montanans by promoting the entire state, attracting and dispersing travel, celebrating and marketing Montana’s businesses, welcoming new businesses, uplifting rural communities and their stories and celebrating the state’s heritage and calendar.
Missouri River Country’s executive director Carla Hunsley said the Department of Commerce’s staff has been traveling around the state as part of the Montana Tour and bringing a 1968 Chevrolet pickup to local events in order to introduce the new brand to Montanans first.
Gov. Greg Gianforte said in a press release, “For the first time in 16 years we’re reintroducing Montana to the world. And we’re doing it by shining a spotlight on the people who make this place what it is. Because the strength of our state isn’t found in slogans or logos, it’s found in our people.”
The plan is for the department to use the brand for tourism marketing, business attraction, international trade and exports, the Made in Montana program as well as other economic development efforts. According to the department’s website, by featuring residents and amplifying community-led storytelling, the new brand is made for Montana by Montanans. Foundational brand components include:
• The people. This isn’t a brand about a place you visit. It’s a brand about the people who live it every day.
• The place. Montana isn’t something you pose in front of. It’s something you step into.
• The stories. A good Montana story isn’t just about what happened. It’s about what it meant.
Elements of the new brand include a newly designed website focused on improving the travel planning experience for both visitors and residents, future highway welcome signs, updated official highway map, wordmark, logo, colors and suite of creative elements.
