Kaua‘i, if you listen.
Reimagining the brand for Hawai‘i State Parks, starting with its most sacred island.
The Challenge and Task
Kaua‘i State Parks must evolve from a generic system to one that reflects local culture, protects sacred land, and fosters deeper connection. The goal is to build a brand that centers Hawaiian values, invites stewardship, and restores meaning to the park experience. Through cultural insight, strategic design, and storytelling, this is a prototype case-study of co-creating a system that honors the past, serves the present, and inspires future care.
What I Did —
Research (Brand Audit and Global Models)
Stakeholder & Audience Interviews
Visitor Journey Mapping
Audience Segmentation & Targeting
Brand Architecture & Cultural Positioning
Competitive Analysis & Repositioning
Visual Rebranding & Brand Story
Business Model
Brand ID & Brand Expressions
The Outcome —
A cohesive brand strategy and identity system that repositions Kaua‘i State Parks as a culturally grounded, community-led experience. The work includes a clear brand purpose, narrative, and visual system designed to build trust, invite stewardship, and transform how visitors connect with the land.
This thesis project was completed under the guidance of Lauren Cantor, Susan Gornell, Pamela Olecki, Petrula Vrontikis and Gerardo Herrera. | ArtCenter College of Design | Course: GBDS-665-01 Capstone
Most photography and video by Elizabeth Baizer Raines & Don Raines Jr. Additional imagery licensed for educational use from Adobe Stock. Some stills and video references from Google Earth, TRUE HAWAII by Sam Potter and from GoHawaii.com/YouTube. Some images in this project were created with AI-powered tools.
Brand Identity and Visual Language
Logos
STATE | ISLANDS
The umbrella brand unites the five major island park systems under a shared visual framework. Each island features its own primary logo, linked through consistent typography, composition, and illustrative style.
KAUA’I STATE PARKS LOGO
The primary logo features a linocut-style illustration of the island’s iconic Nā Pali Coast, symbolizing Kaua‘i’s role as the pilot for a larger statewide rebrand. This mark serves as the flagship identity for Kaua‘i, setting the tone and design language for future rollouts across the Hawai‘ian Islands.
KAUA’I STATE PARKS INDIVIDUAL LOGOS
Each individual park logo pairs a bold nameplate with a custom linocut illustration inspired by the park’s natural, cultural, or historical significance. These marks create a cohesive yet distinct visual identity for each site, making the system flexible for signage, merchandise, and storytelling.
Brand Expressions
Social Ads
The ads are meant to inspire connection and drive reservations. Photography shows locals caring for the land and sharing it with visitors.
Online Presence
The Kaua‘i State Parks live digitally within the larger Hawai‘ian Islands State Parks platform, allowing visitors to choose an island and then explore its parks.
Signage Experience
Crafted from resilient, natural materials, the signage system reflects Kaua‘i’s enduring spirit. Designed to adapt seamlessly across shuttle stops, entrances, and trails, each sign blends into the landscape as if it has always belonged there.
Passport Incentive Program
With printed and digital passports, visitors can collect stamps from each park, turning visits into keepsakes. Encouraging transformative and meaningful experiences, a completed passport means you will be honored with a Hānai ʻOhana lifetime ID card, that says you have been adopted by the Kaua‘i State Parks family.
Local Artisan Crafts
Handcrafted goods sold in park shops and around the parks, would be marked with the Foundation’s seal of authenticity. Purchases would support the makers and the care of Kaua‘i’s parks, giving visitors something meaningful to take home while giving back to the land.
