How we designed a visual identity that resonates with modern travellers, helping to promote the natural beauty, local businesses, and year-round adventure of Riding Mountain National Park.
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Clear Lake Country is the official tourism organization for Riding Mountain National Park and the surrounding area.
Since 2017, they’ve been the voice of the region, promoting the cabins, campgrounds, trails, and the small businesses that make this prairie-meets-boreal landscape such a beloved destination.
By 2024, their brand identity had been in use for nearly a decade. It had served them well, but it no longer reflected the adventurous, modern energy of the place—or the millennial travellers they wanted to reach.
They needed a visual identity that felt wilder, more character-rich, and more in tune with their new tagline: Let the Wild In.
Their agency partner came to us at a high-stakes moment. After three unsuccessful attempts at a visual identity, they were looking for a “Hail Mary”—something that could finally capture the essence of the place.
We combed through historic newspapers, field guides, and faded postcards from the 1930’s, pulling accurate typefaces and textures from the past. We walked trails through archival maps, studied the silhouette of the bison, and paid close attention to the seasonality that defines the region—lush summers, golden autumns, snowbound winters, and crisp spring thaws.
These references gave us a foundation for our visual concept. Instead of focusing on perfection, we leaned into the ruggedness of the place: hand-drawn textures, imperfect lines, and colours that looked like they could have been lifted from a camp blanket or a moss-covered log.
From there, we presented high-level moodboards, but with one key difference from the past attempts: every choice was tied directly to the stories and history of Riding Mountain.
That sense of place and care helped us earn full client buy-in on the very first try.
The final identity revolves around a hand-drawn bison, vectorized for usability but still carrying the rough-hewn character of the sketch. It’s paired with a type treatment that feels rooted in heritage but softened by nature’s rhythm, making it as comfortable on a trail sign as it is on Instagram.
The colour palette draws from time-worn wood, prairie moss, sun-faded posters, and the icy blues of winter lakes, giving the brand a seasonal adaptability that Clear Lake Country had never had before. This flexibility allows their campaigns to shift between summer and winter without losing cohesion, helping the region attract visitors year-round.
Beyond the logo, we designed a suite of graphic elements and Instagram story highlight illustrations, making sure the identity could live as comfortably on a tote bag or enamel mug as it does on the website.
The rebrand launched alongside their new website, seasonal trail guides, and a line of merchandise. Locals snapped up hats, tees, and blankets. Tourists carried the bison home with them. And Travel Manitoba featured the new look in provincial tourism campaigns, giving the brand visibility far beyond its own borders.
For the first time in years, Clear Lake Country had a system that felt like it belonged, one that was soulful, flexible, and unmistakably theirs.
It’s adventurous but grounded, nostalgic but modern. It’s a logo that feels like it’s always been there, just waiting to be uncovered.
We can help you uncover what makes your place so special.
Photography has been generously provided by Clear Lake Country.
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