During the past year, Puerto Vallarta has implemented major changes to the city. Beginning with the renovation of Malecon and in anticipation of the Mexico Tourism Tianguis 2012, upgrades throughout the city moved at top speed.
With an injection of funds from the Tourism Tianguis, Vallarta looks completely refreshed with clean streets and a beautified roadway connecting Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit.
Puerto Vallarta, as a brand, was not reflecting these fresh changes. This Sunday, after more than two months of research and public consultation, a new logo designed by Vertice Comunicacion with the support of SETUJAL (the federal tourism agency) was launched, and it will represent our destination in the years ahead. This single icon, the boy riding the sea horse, of Puerto Vallarta will responsible for communicating our trademark, the city and our heritage.
The process of analysis and consulting used is standard for the branding industry. We did not participate in its development; we have been in several of the briefing meetings. The new brand identity meets the objective of capturing part of the essence of Vallarta with an immediately recognizable icon that will outlast trends. Is it the best logo for Puerto Vallarta? That depends on your personal taste.
Referencing the national colors of Mexico and the Tourism Tianguis, our new brand identity, which is headed by the new logo of the seahorse, represents the many facets of Puerto Vallarta history. The colors used are representational: green references the biodiversity of the destination and while pink (or rosa mexicano) symbolizes our culture and our roots, among others colors.
“Puerto Vallarta, lo vives mas de una vez” (the English translation is still under way but roughly it translates to: “you live it more than once”, proposing the every visit will offer new and wonderful experiences). The slogan is intended to enclose the myriad of activities available to both our visitors and residents of Puerto Vallarta.
The success of the new logo will rely on the ability of Vallarta to it give a fair critical assessment and separate the political from the brand (complaints about how the new Malecon was built have no place in this debate). The ultimate success will depend on our own ability to move beyond the divisions and alliances of yesterday.
Sadly, the reality is that there has often been competitiveness between Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit based on cynicism which has not been beneficial for either destination.
Many on this side of the “border” now hope that the new logo will help change the public discourse and encourage traders and public agencies to trust in Vallarta, to promote a new philosophy of investment in the long term rather than short-term profit. We hope the spirit of collaboration between Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta will not disappear when Tianguis is dismantled, since for most of us, the border between the two destinations does not exist outside the political realm.
This new logo is intended to encapsulate the best of Vallarta, a culturally rich and progressive destination within a simple design. It’s a big task. The new logo will only achieve success if we can convert it into a promiseof excellence in service, a seal of quality, like the Intel logo on computers. But guaranteeing excellence will require us to work harder together to provide a positive and unique visitor experience that enhances the Vallarta brand.
What’s changed? The only real change is our perception and passion with which we debate the new logo. The reality, like it or not, is that it´s now our official identity. As we consider this new logo and what it represents many will have the opportunity to assess whether the divisions, apathy and cynicism at the heart of Vallarta culture have any role to play in the success of this “new” Vallarta in the future or, if from this moment, we collaboratively move forward in the Technicolor rainbow of the seahorse.
A collaboration between Jorge Chavez, Senior Editor and Daniel Gomez, Director of Strategy Mijo! Brands. Both support the new spirit of cooperation for the promotion of Puerto Vallarta.
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