Northwest Arkansas – Placemaking

Northwest Arkansas

Real Estate - Placemaking - Branding

What we did

Naming
Brand ID
Marketing Strategy
Signage

frenchCALIFORNIA set out to rebrand Northwest Arkansas as a destination.

Northwest Arkansas was interested in redesigning their brand to highlight their new use of the word UPSTATE to define the region. Home to an enormous amount of outdoor activities and art entertainment such as museums, ballets, and live shows, the region wanted to create a marketing campaign that brought in a younger demographic with a wide variety of interests.

A strong visual identity for a region that offers new ways of working and living.

Drawing on the available activities in the area, we designed a marketing campaign and hashtag that focused on activities available to the public. Our campaign used images from the bodies of water, arts, small shops, and hiking and cycling trails. By highlighting these activities we were able to show the diversity of options through the region.

Share Your Life

We created the Share Your Life campaign as a way to encourage residents and visitors to tag photos that showed the options available in Northwest Arkansas. This created content that was authentic and real. Visitors to the social media platforms see a wide variety of images from the eye of those experiencing each activity.

Activation and Marketing Tools

The eye-catching UP used in the posters draws attention to the renaming campaign.

As Northwest Arkansas moved to materials focusing on their new UPSTATE branding, we wanted to highlight the change in a creative and artistic way. We placed images behind the word to show the diversity and activities available in the region.

The hashtag UPSTATEYOURLIFE was used as a calling card for people to share how the region positively impacts them, socially, economically, and physically.

Upstate of Mind

Encourages a focus on the people who make up the area. Cultivates the concept that residents are thinkers who appreciate activities that encourage culture, art, and experiences. Delivers this idea about the growth experienced in the Upstate.

Upstate Your Life

A larger focus on what the area can bring to residents’ lives. Highlights the important activities and opportunities available. Differentiates the Upstate area from the rest of the South, specifically Arkansas. Has the ability to become part of a larger campaign focusing on attracting new businesses, entrepreneurs, developers, and more.