As part of a brand update launched Tuesday, Parks Tacoma adopts its simplest and most approachable identity in the 120-year-old agency’s history by dropping “Metro” from its name.
Since our inception as the first independent parks and recreation system in Washington state, Parks Tacoma has been connecting our community with nature and neighbors.
None of that changes. So, why update?
Research shows people view us positively but have a limited understanding of the full range of what we offer. Our new brand is designed to make everything more cohesive and connected.
“We want to reflect who we are today and ensure we are creating close connections to the full range of places and programs within Parks Tacoma,” said Park Board President Andrea Smith. “Parks are the symbol for what we provide and what people love about us, so we are leaning into that.”
A large part of the community recognizes that Parks Tacoma manages most of the city’s parks, and we also want them to connect us with our indoor parks – community centers – and our wildlife parks – Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek.
Organizations typically revisit their brand every seven to 10 years to align changes in strategic direction or market conditions. Parks Tacoma underwent its last comprehensive update more than 25 years ago.
“The need for the update hit home when we saw data indicating that only 41% of our community identified us as the operator of our four community centers,” said Tara Mattina, Parks Tacoma’s Marketing and Digital Media Manager. “Despite providing summer camps and sports leagues that serve thousands of kids every year, only about 30% of respondents associated those activities with us. And a mere 7% recognized that Meadow Park Golf Course is operated by Parks Tacoma.”
Over the years, new destinations and programs got their own unique identities that diluted a strong connection to the park district.
This led to a collection of disparate logos featuring an array of fonts, color palettes and styles with no common thread to tie them together or align with the District’s logo, which was elaborate by contemporary standards.
The impact of all that independent branding is a lack of awareness of the variety and range of places and programs Parks Tacoma provides. That has a bearing on everything from corporate sponsorships and grant support to community investments that are vital to sustain the free and affordable everyday escapes that our community relies on us to provide.
“Tacomans don’t always know who is serving them and we want to rectify that because we take accountability seriously,” Smith said.
Although we now refer to ourselves as Parks Tacoma, we do not have immediate plans to change the sub-brands for community centers and other facilities that have their own identities. Our simplified new logo enables us to align it with existing sub-brands, unlike our complex former logo.
While most materials in our system will change to the new brand effective Jan. 14, including a new web address at ParksTacoma.gov, signage and other major elements will transition over the next few years.
More information on the updated brand may be found here.
