UNLEASHING MAGIC & TRADITION
- Jul 26
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 28
Refreshing a holiday tradition that generations of Calgarians call their own.
For many Calgarians, ZOOLIGHTS is more than an annual event. It's a family tradition. Every holiday season, visitors bundle up, wander beneath millions of lights, and create memories they'll carry with them for years to come.
The opportunity wasn't to reinvent ZOOLIGHTS. It was to refresh a beloved brand while preserving the nostalgia, wonder, and excitement that have made it one of Calgary's favourite holiday experiences.
The Opportunity
After years of evolution, the ZOOLIGHTS brand was ready for a refresh that reflected the magic of the event while remaining familiar to returning guests.
The new identity needed to feel vibrant, timeless, and flexible enough to come to life across advertising, digital campaigns, environmental graphics, merchandise, and the guest experience itself.
My Role
Working as part of the Calgary Zoo's marketing team, I led the creative development of the refreshed ZOOLIGHTS brand identity.
From initial concepts through final execution, I created a cohesive visual system that extended across every guest touchpoint, ensuring the experience felt unmistakably ZOOLIGHTS before visitors even stepped through the gates.
Bringing It to Life
Inspired by the movement and colour of the Aurora Borealis, the refreshed identity combined vibrant gradients, playful typography, and winter-inspired illustrations to create a brand that felt both magical and contemporary.
The system was designed to be flexible, allowing it to scale across everything from large-scale advertising campaigns and event signage to digital content, merchandise, and printed materials while maintaining a consistent look and feel.
A Favourite Detail
One of my favourite parts of the project was designing the logo.
At first glance, it's a simple wordmark. Look a little closer and you'll notice the two "O"s in ZOO form an infinity symbol, representing the lasting memories families create together and the tradition of returning year after year.
It's a subtle detail that many people never notice consciously, but I love knowing it's there. It's a small reminder that the strongest brands often tell their stories through the details.
The Outcome
The refreshed identity helped strengthen one of Calgary's most recognizable holiday events while preserving everything visitors already loved about it.
More than a visual refresh, it became a brand designed to evolve with the event, creating a consistent experience across every touchpoint and helping new memories become part of an enduring tradition.
