Background
Founded in 1984, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is
located on the Pacific Ocean in Monterey, California.
It attracts 1.8 million visitors annually and holds
35,000 plants and animals representing 623 species.
The organization’s operating costs are largely covered
by visitor admission, special events and membership
dues. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is considered
by many to be the best in the World.
Challenge
In 2002, the Aquarium used its 20th anniversary
celebration as the catalyst for an organization-
wide rebrand. The goal was to redefine what an
environmental brand could be: to inspire rather
than preach, to be modern, engaging and relevant.
The rebranding would establish a new direction
for the Aquarium that would communicate its
active role in promoting ocean conservation and
awareness on a global scale. At the same time,
the Aquarium sought to retain its loyal membership
while re-launching itself as a nationwide attraction
where new visitors could enjoy the unique and
interactive experience of its oceanic exhibits.
Solution
As Senior Designer of the Aquarium’s design team,
Mat Squillante began shaping the new visual brand
with dynamic, compelling photography in favor of the
illustration based imagery of the past. This approach
sought to capture the vibrant energy of the animals
and exhibits in what became collectively themed,
the “Living, Blue World”. In addition to new imagery,
Mat implemented changes to typography treatments
and fonts. The rebrand also established a more
consistent use of color which formed a new, more
streamlined Aquarium palette. Finally, all branding
decisions were expected to adhere to one coherent
strategic vision and all new designs now met the needs
of the 15 departments.
Results
The Aquarium rebrand was a success that exceeded
all expectations. After the rebrand’s launch in 2002,
total revenues increased by 31%, membership
increased by 22% and it experienced the highest
visitor attendance in the industry. In 2006, the
Monterey Bay Aquarium was named one of the
World’s top 100 brands in the annual Rebrand100
Global awards.
