Explore Dufferin – Tourism Brand
In 2023, Dufferin County launched the Explore Dufferin brand to establish a cohesive, memorable, and emotionally resonant identity that reflects the region’s character and unites tourism marketing across platforms and communities. Rooted in the brand promise Naturally Centred, this brand identity was developed through an inclusive process to express Dufferin’s rural charm, strong sense of community, natural beauty, and commitment to sustainability. It is more than a logo, Explore Dufferin is a visual and experiential expression of the County’s tourism vision, shaping everything from messaging to marketing to user experience.
The objective of the brand was to build a recognizable, flexible identity that could be consistently applied across media and platforms, from print and digital materials to signage, promotional items, and community events. The brand needed to be authentic, grounded in community input, and competitive with neighbouring tourism destinations such as Collingwood, Muskoka, and Prince Edward County.
The resulting brand identity includes a robust visual system centered around the “D” logo, which features colourful icons of local experiences such as trails, food, arts, music, farms, and nature wrapped into a single graphic expression. The palette of greens, blues, and earth tones reflects the County’s landscape and commitment to environmental sustainability. The tagline, “Naturally Centred”, reinforces the County’s geographic position and emotional appeal: a place to feel grounded, recharged, and connected. The supporting brand guidelines (linked here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NkBRDs4sa86Djl2xPsdkwd59vQ15AmxP/view?usp=sharing) ensure accessibility, consistency, and clarity across all uses.
ExploreDufferinCounty.ca exemplifies the digital application of the brand. The website translates the brand’s values warm, vibrant and grounded into a user-friendly interface that guides visitors through the region’s attractions, events, trails, and seasonal activities. The site’s visuals reflect the brand’s photography direction: immersive, natural, and people-focused, with a balance of wide landscapes and close-up community moments. Accessibility standards were prioritized, and the visual hierarchy and colour palette align directly with the brand guide.
The branded Explore Dufferin Guide, launched in 2024, is the flagship print application of the brand. It features curated itineraries, business spotlights, maps, and events all designed within the brand framework. Fonts, colours, tone of voice, and layout reflect the Naturally Centred theme, while the storytelling approach reinforces community, sustainability, and belonging. With over 27,000 copies distributed this year across the region and digitally, the guide has become a key piece of the County’s tourism toolkit and branding presence.
Challenges included ensuring that the brand reflected all eight municipalities within the County while remaining unified and scalable. An inclusive engagement process, including workshops and surveys with residents, tourism operators, and stakeholders, helped ensure the brand story felt shared, not imposed.
Sustainability is embedded in both message and method. The brand promotes slow tourism, agri-tourism, and eco-conscious travel. Print materials are used thoughtfully and supplemented with digital formats, and the visuals used are locally sourced to reduce stock imagery and reflect authentic experiences.
The Explore Dufferin brand has united tourism communications under a consistent, inspiring identity. It is emotionally resonant, visually distinct, and built to grow with the County, ensuring long-term impact and recognition.
