Pacific Expeditions | Brand Identity Case Study

Discovery

Research & Inspiration

Competitive Research

The process began with doing some competitive research. Some specifics I was looking for as I analyzed the industry were what are they offering, who are they targeting, who would be attracted to their specific branding identity? This information helped me identify the potential market gap and who my brand could serve.

Key insight

Competitors sit at two poles: rugged and dated, or polished and corporate.

Looking across the competitive set, the market split into two camps. Neither spoke to a younger, experience-driven traveller, which left a clear opening for the brand.

Finding

What competitors do

They lean on heritage cues or corporate polish, so most feel either rugged and outdated or overly corporate.

Gap

What is missing

A brand for a younger, experience-driven audience: premium without being exclusive, and adventurous without looking like every travel company.

Implication

What it means for the brand

A bold, confident identity that stands out on a trail map and on a social feed.

Audience

Who Pacific Expeditions is for.

Two travellers the brand was designed to speak to.

Maya, 27

Marketing coordinator · Vancouver, BC

Fills every free weekend with hikes, paddle trips and day trips, and books on short notice based on what looks good on her feed.

“I want an adventure I can book in two taps and still have a story worth telling.”

Mobile-first

Social sharer

Spontaneous

Goals

Find unique experiences close to home. Book fast from her phone. Capture moments worth sharing.

Frustrations

Tour brands that feel dated. Hard to judge quality from photos. Too many steps to book.

Where she looks

Instagram, TikTok, AllTrails and recommendations from friends.

Daniel, 36

Project manager · Toronto, ON

Plans two or three trips a year with his partner and friends, and wants something that feels premium and well curated without being exclusive.

“I will pay for a great trip, but it has to feel considered, not corporate.”

Plans ahead

Quality over quantity

Research-driven

Goals

Curated itineraries from trusted local guides. Clear inclusions before booking. A trip worth telling friends about.

Frustrations

Operators that feel corporate or generic. Unclear what is included. Piecing together logistics on his own.

Where he looks

Google search, reviews, travel blogs and saved Instagram posts.

Concept

Moodboard

As I began to plan out potential concepts for the moodboard, I tried to visualize the types of memories and people's motivation when traveling, for example, some people want a calm, relaxing vacation; for others traveling looks like doing as much as possible and seeking the biggest thrill.

After creating the three different moodboards, I ultimately went with the second concept and modified it further to add more energy into the branding, while still appealing to a younger, experience-driven demographic.

Exploration

Inspiration

At this stage, I was already inspired by patchwork logos. I really liked the traditional look of a crest or a round patch. It felt cozy, nostalgic and clearly communicates the outdoors. The idea of a legacy looking logo was the initial idea. Later on, I began exploring more simple but bold iconography. The idea of something a bit more bold felt right for this since I am trying to appeal to a younger demographic. Having a bolder look would add confidence and made it feel like a big adventure awaits vs logo that is lighter or more fine.

Logo Inspirations
Preliminary Sketches
Digital Sketches
Final Concepts
Final Logo

Digital sketches exploring Pacific Expeditions wordmarks and symbols, including shields, arrows and mountain icons

Decision

Rationale

When it came to selecting the final logo variation among the final concepts, it was ultimately between the logo variations in the left column. I was already set on the font at this stage which is called Owners Wide (bold); this font provided the boldness and confidence I was looking for. I believe the boldness of the font also adds a sense of fearlessness and trust. I decided on the custom drawn, arrow symbol for the brand because on its own it can communicate a bit better compared to the other icon options. I did however use the custom symbols in other parts of the branding.

System

Brand Style Guide

When beginning my initial sketches, I was drawn to experiment with more illustrative designs that felt more traditional. The inspiration came from the thought of Boy Scouts, badges, patches, camping, nature etc. I wanted to try to fit a design within a shape, or taking on a shape. Then I started to simplify and experiment with a more modern look seeking something more structured and bold since I kind of had a mood in mind already.

01 · Colour

Colour palette

Simple, and relevant to the outdoors: a warm espresso base, a forest teal for nature and calm, and a golden sunrise for energy and a cozy, vintage camping feel.

#382E2E

Espresso

Moody, elegant and versatile. Espresso evokes a sense of stability and warmth.

#30867B

Forest Teal

Reflective of deep, shaded natural tones, like the leaves of a pine tree or a forest under indirect light.

#E0B052

Golden Sunrise

A warm, muted golden shade with earthy undertones.

#000000

Black

Grounds the palette and carries the bold wordmark.

#FAFAFA

White

Gives the brand lightness and room to breathe.

02 · Type

Typography

Typeface: Forma DJR Display, in four weights.

Light

Regular

Bold

Bold Italic

Forma DJR Display

With the concept set and mobile in mind, I opted for a sans-serif typeface. When I saw this one, I immediately felt it was the perfect match.

It gives a feeling of strength, durability and movement, while staying simple, clean, easy to read and different from other sans-serif typefaces.

03 · Graphic elements

Icons

Simple, light, fresh.

Symbols

Simple, innovative, distinct.

04 · Product

Mobile app

Key screens from the Pacific Expeditions mobile experience, grouped by flow.

Home

Home cont.

Nav / Menu

Browse and book

Browse

Detailed page

App screen: adventure detail page, continued

Detailed page cont.

Booking

About and explore

About us

Explore

Explore cont.

05 · Social

Social media

An Instagram presence that carries the same voice: real people, real places, and trips worth sharing.

Takeaways

Reflections & Learnings

What I learned from this branding assignment was that, beyond the standard logo and branding, the social media and marketing side has a significant stake in creating a cohesive brand image. It's clear that a visual identity of a brand is not enough to establish the brand but requires deep consideration regarding the type of content the brand produces and how the brand communicates its content. As I was building and looking for a tone of voice for Pacific Expeditions, it was interesting to realize how the visual aspect also informs and influences the brand voice.

More work

Explore other projects.

View all projects →

Silver pendant with a terrain relief pattern

Web app

Custom Jewelry Designer

Turning favourite travel memories into wearable, 3D-printable jewelry.

App built with AI

Bucket of Thoughts

An AI-built app for catching ideas on the fly.

Problem Statement