Costa Rica Launches New Country Brand: Essential Costa Rica
The new brand identity aims to strengthen the destination’s position as a leader in sustainable tourism and the global marketplace
NEW YORK, NY – February 28, 2014 – The Costa Rica Tourism Board, Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT), officially unveiled the country’s new brand, essential Costa Rica, to the North American market at the New York Times Travel Show. Situated in the heart of the Americas, between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica is a small nation with tremendous spirit, which served as the foundation for the new country brand. The new brand will be utilized as a tool not only to support tourism but also to attract international investors and boost foreign trade.
“The essential Costa Rica brand is an opportunity for us to present a comprehensive look at our evolving nation and share attributes that visitors may find surprising,” said the Costa Rica Tourism Board’s General Manager, Juan Carlos Borbón. “We are proud to introduce the new campaign to the North American audience and look forward to having the opportunity to shine a light on our most valuable natural assets, our people.”
Designed to reflect some of the nation’s strongest traits, the new logo incorporates shades of green to express Costa Rica’s reputation in preserving its natural resources and biodiversity. The font’s bold letters and casual script are meant to convey the people’s friendly, open disposition but also the strength and stability of its political institutions.
The new international brand launch has been five years in the making undergoing four phases of research and development including: a research study analyzing the image of Costa Rica within the market; an analytical study on how the country matches up against its competitors; and development of multiple branding options and focus group studies to determine the most favored brand.
“Not only does Costa Rica offer endless opportunities for adventure with its natural wonders and biodiversity, but the nation’s peaceful democracy, cultural authenticity, rich biodiversity and commitment to sustainability also differentiate the country from many other destinations,” continued Borbón.
The $650,000 investment of the country brand has been a project led by the collaboration of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), Costa Rica’s Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX), and the Foreign Trade Promoter (PROCOMER).
Conceptualization of the new brand and design of new logo was created by Future Brand, and will replaces Costa Rica’s former tagline of “No Artificial Ingredients.” essential Costa Rica was first introduced to an international audience during primetime commercial spots airing during the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi. The new logo will also appear on labels and tags on all of Costa Rica’s tourism related marketing materials as well as many of Costa Rica’s top exports.
For more information visit: www.visitcostarica.com.
About Costa Rica
Costa Rica is located in Central America, nestled between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south; it is bordered on the east by the Caribbean Sea and the west by the Pacific Ocean. With an abundance of unique wildlife, landscapes and climates, this small country proudly shelters approximately five percent of the known biodiversity in the world. In order to protect and preserve its wealth of natural resources, Costa Rica has become a global leader in sustainable practices with protected areas comprising 26 percent of its land mass. With a peaceful spirit, an emphasis on education and an economy based on tourism, technology and exportation, Costa Ricans and visitors alike enjoy one of the highest standards of living and organized tourism infrastructure in Latin America among a tropical paradise of lush rainforests, mystical volcanoes and cloud forests and beaches that meet mountains filled with monkeys and macaws. Offering a broad terrain of activities and accommodations, visitors to Costa Rica will find a range of hotel options ranging from small beachside bed & breakfasts, to authentic intimate boutique mountain lodges, to major international business hotel brands and everything in between; Costa Rica’s accommodations offer something appealing for everyone’s desires. The phrase “Pura Vida” can be heard echoing throughout Costa Rica from coast to coast. Used as a greeting or expression of happiness, the phrase literally translates to “pure life;” however its true meaning is “full of life,” which accurately describes the adventure and wonder that await visitors.
About InstitutoCostarricense de Turismo (ICT)
Established in 1955, the Costa Rica Tourism Board spearheads the vital task of regulating and promoting Costa Rica’s extensive of tourism offerings. The ICT and its partners in the private sector work tirelessly to garner recognition, standardize practices, provide insightful research data and foster cultural development for the country’s coast to coast one-of-a-kind tourism products and resources.