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What happens when a beloved Kansas institution decides to reinvent itself and gets it so right that a waitress in Panama recognizes the logo?
That’s exactly what unfolded when the Sedgwick County Zoo set out to rebrand in advance of its 50th anniversary. Bill Gardner sat down with Jennica King, Director of Marketing Communications for the zoo, to talk through the full story. From a conversation that started with a website request and turned into a complete brand overhaul, to the creation of Dandy the lion (a.k.a. the “Kansas lion”), and how a viral chimpanzee video sent their new identity around the world to the tune of 3.2 billion views.
We talk about what it really means to build a brand around a story, how to get staff and the public to embrace change, and why a comprehensive style guide is worth every minute it takes to build. The Sedgwick County Zoo’s rebrand is a masterclass in doing it right.
Episode Highlights
- The Sedgwick County Zoo is the #1 outdoor family tourist attraction in the state of Kansas
- The rebrand launched in 2019 ahead of the zoo’s 50th birthday in 2021, alongside a $15.1 million capital campaign
- The project began as a website request — and evolved into a full rebrand when the team realized the brand needed to be established first
- Nearly 1,000 intercept interviews with visitors and members were conducted, plus an internal staff survey, to discover the zoo’s authentic story
- Conservation had always been part of the zoo’s story but had never been effectively told — the rebrand made it central
- “Dandy” the dandy lion logo was born from the mashup of a Kansas sunflower (the state flower) and a lion — representing both regionality and global conservation
- A viral chimpanzee video reached 3.2 billion people and brought international recognition to the new brand
- The zoo’s president was recognized in a remote restaurant in Panama because of Dandy on his hat
- A thorough visual style guide allowed the zoo’s in-house graphics team, outside agencies, and their third-party operations partner to maintain brand consistency seamlessly
0:36 — Introduction and overview of the Sedgwick County Zoo project
1:36 — Zoo origins and its public-private partnership with Sedgwick County
2:31 — The zoo as Kansas’s #1 outdoor family tourist attraction
3:07 — Why rebrand a beloved institution? The 50th birthday catalyst
4:20 — Master plan phase one: $15.1M campaign, new entry complex, and the Slawson Family Asian Big Cat Trek
5:39 — Conservation as the story
7:49 — Research process: ~1,000 intercept interviews and internal staff surveys
9:32 — How it actually started: a website request, not a rebrand
10:43 — Designing the logo before the brand: building visual vocabulary first
12:28 — Meet Dandy: the Kansas lion/sunflower mashup and how he got his name
12:28 — Going viral: 3.2 billion views and international recognition in Panama
15:32 — Style guide and managing brand consistency across multiple teams
18:50 — The website: passion project and ongoing labor of love
20:24 — Rebrand fears, staff apprehension, and the story that tied it all together
22:56 — Wrap-up and the ongoing partnership
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Further Reference
- Sedgwick County Zoo identity design and website design by Gardner Design
- Sedgwick County Zoo website
About Gardner Design
Brandifesto is brought to you by Gardner Design. Since our founding in 1983, Gardner Design has produced effective and award-winning designs and results for many industry leaders.
Our designs and brand influence can be found in well-known brands including Facebook, Spirit AeroSystems, Cessna Aircraft Company, Kroger, Koch Industries, Cargill and hundreds more.
Regardless of size or industry, we get fired up about helping you reach new heights. Because we see it every day—better branding leads to a better future.
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