Calgary, Alberta’s largest city with a population exceeding 1.4 million, stands as the fifth-largest city in Canada. Known for its affordable housing, low taxes, and ample job opportunities, Calgary is not only a hub for major corporations but also home to cultural institutions, expansive parks, and vibrant recreational zones. Recently, Tourism Calgary and Calgary Economic Development (CED) unveiled a new brand identity aimed at enhancing the city’s image, created by the local design studio Daughter.
This new visual identity draws inspiration from beadwork, an art form where small elements come together to create a beautiful and harmonious picture. The beadwork metaphor symbolizes the integration of individual components to form a unified whole. This concept is vividly reflected in the new brand’s logo and overall branding.
Previously, Tourism Calgary and Calgary Economic Development shared a generic typeface, Miriad, and used taglines that were typographically excessive. The cowboy hat in the tourism brand’s logo was tied to Calgary’s cowboy heritage and the Calgary Stampede cowboy festival, but this connection was limiting and did not fully encapsulate the city’s diverse character.
The new logo, composed of abstract beads, represents the idea that a diverse array of people collectively form a community. These beads, which resemble the shape of the sun, come together to form the letter “C”, creating a bright and engaging symbol full of optimism. The sun shape is foundational, but the beads can take on various forms, offering a flexible design system applicable across different formats and media.
The logo is complemented by the wordmark “Calgary” and tagline “Blue Sky City”, as a kind of the city’s nickname, in sans-serif fonts. Notably, the “g” with a peculiar ear and the serif “I” add a distinctive touch to the overall typeface. The studio describes the brand’s typography as “big and generous”. It conveys the city’s friendly and positive spirit, suited for expressive and impactful messages.
For promotional materials, the Calgary brand will use the Graphik font created by Christian Schwartz. Coupled with bright colors, it makes visuals really appealing, despite a slight mismatch with the logo.
The color palette features blue, white, and yellow, as primary colors, referring to the sky, clouds, and sun. The city’s brand is also represented by some additional hues such as red, green, and dark blue adding depth and versatility.
The bead motifs with varying shapes are the brand’s standout feature, used to create patterns for brand visuals, images, and posters. This graphic richness ensures the branding is eye-catching and memorable.
Calgary’s new branding initiative positions the city to showcase its multifaceted appeal to tourists and businesses alike. By moving beyond traditional cowboy imagery, Calgary can now compete with other Canadian cities such as Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto on a broader stage. This revitalized identity not only celebrates Calgary’s cultural diversity and economic vibrancy but also invites the world to discover a city where tradition meets innovation in perfect harmony.
