The Calgary Exhibition and Stampede rolled out its new brand identity Wednesday, part of an ongoing master brand and marketing strategy intended to establish it as a world-class, year-round destination.
The Stampede also unveiled a new logo to provide a consistent visual image for the brand identity. The new logo, designed by Calgary’s Kent Allan Design Group, includes the words Calgary Stampede in Western style script and the C and a “lazy” S (rotated 90 degrees and placed under the C) cattle brand.
“We wanted to retain the huge power in the words Calgary and Stampede,” explains Stampede CEO Vern Kimball. “And the C lazy S is something we have used for many years and which reflects our brand values.”
Kimball says those values are at the heart of the Stampede’s new brand. “Our external research showed the public identified four key values with the Stampede: Western hospitality, integrity, commitment to community and pride of place. These four values will be the overarching umbrella for everything we do.”
Over its 100-plus years of history, the Stampede built dozens of different and sometimes conflicting brand identities. In 2005 it hired Laurie Schild as its newly created VP of marketing and external relations with a mandate to create a new brand identity that represents everything the Stampede does, not just its world-famous 10-day summer rodeo and fair. Advertising creative for the Stampede was moved to Karo from Y&R last month.
Kimball says the new brand and values will be reflected in all Stampede operations, including an ambitious multi-year plan to revamp and expand the Stampede grounds and add new offerings and events.
