When you think of zoos, you probably envision a place to bring the kids during school breaks. However, beyond the surface, zoos are becoming more involved in championing the natural world by protecting endangered species and raising awareness about environmental issues.
Chester Zoo, at the forefront of conservation efforts, sought a fresh brand and website to highlight their positive impact on nature. This is when they enlisted the expertise of How&How.
The branding agency immediately began reshaping Chester Zoo’s image to reflect both the zoo experience and its larger mission of serving nature.
„A two-year project with so many components was always going to be a challenge, which is why working on this rebrand with Chester Zoo has been so rewarding,“ said Cat How, founder of How&How. „Their ambition and vision inspired us daily, leading to a fantastic collaboration dedicated to showcasing the zoo’s conservation work.“
The resulting brand concept, ‚Force for Nature‘, embodies Chester Zoo’s commitment to taking action and creating positive change.
The new logo features a custom ‚C‘ with a hidden rhinoceros horn motif, paying homage to the zoo’s history of supporting endangered Eastern Black Rhinos. The team also developed a unique typeface and incorporated nature-inspired patterns into the designs.
The website redesign focused on combining storytelling and education to create an immersive digital experience that showcases the wonders of wildlife. The design, reminiscent of streaming platforms, aims to provide a sense of abundance and choice through interactive content.
The colour palette, referred to as ‚Forest Mode‘, adds to the cinematic feel of the website, immersing visitors in a lush natural world with vibrant pops of colour.
In addition to visual elements, the team also created a verbal identity to encourage people to connect, care, and take action for the benefit of nature.