Colorado Agency Cactus Tapped to Rebrand Washington County Convention and Tourism as ‘Greater Zion’

Cactus, an independent strategic creative agency specializing in health and recreation brands, has launched a campaign for Utah’s Washington County Convention and Tourism Office. The agency won the business in November after a competitive pitch.

The new brand renames the State of Utah’s Washington County as Greater Zion, with the aim to unify and celebrate the area’s diverse tourism offerings, spread visitation throughout the region and entice visitors to stay longer.

“Tourism is one of the largest economic drivers in our area, and visitation has grown substantially in recent years,” said Kevin Lewis, director of the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office. “One of our key objectives was to distribute visitation throughout the entire area in a way that would inspire longer visits. Cactus helped us develop a cohesive countywide brand to represent all our towns, attractions, parks, and other tourism entities to encourage discovery. The Greater Zion brand anchors us to Zion National Park but also allows us to talk about the many state parks, national conservation areas, communities and activities available within the county. Our vision with the new brand is simple: Inspire Greater. Experience Greater. Live Greater. Beauty and wonder don’t end at Zion’s edge.”

Located in the southwest corner of Utah, Greater Zion encompasses more than 2,400 square miles and includes Zion National Park, the fourth most-visited national park in the United States. Four other state parks with year-round recreational land offer some of the best scenic activities such as mountain biking, off-highway vehicle riding, 12 top-rated golf courses, and world-class cultural performances at Tuacahn Center for the Arts. 

The vibrant communities of St. George, Springdale, Hurricane, Ivins and towns in between offer a wide range of lodging options, dining experiences and access to outdoor pursuits through local outfitters and tour companies. Host to the 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships, Greater Zion is also a world-class destination for sporting events, conferences and meetings. 

Media for the campaign includes TV, online video, OOH and social media in the Rocky Mountain Region, covering five states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Wyoming and Nevada along with national and international marketing efforts.

“Agencies talk a lot about putting their clients on the map, but with Greater Zion, that’s literally what we’re doing,” said Jeff Strahl, creative director at Cactus. “Three months ago, Greater Zion didn’t exist. We worked with the Washington County Tourism Office to turn a collection of communities lacking a cohesive identity into a unified brand they can be proud to stand behind.”

Greater Zion gives context and language to the communities in Washington County, allowing them to easily communicate where they are and what they have to offer to their audiences. It creates a unified sense of place that Washington County has been searching for for a long time. This brand will not only bring communities together, but it will also bring people from around the world together. This place is greater than just one park. This place is greater than just one adventure. This place is Greater Zion.

Advertising Agency: Cactus, Denver, CO (USA)

Brand/Client: Washington County Convention and Tourism Office