Visit Dallas, an independent, not-for-profit organization that promotes Dallas as a premier business and leisure travel destination, recently revealed a new, unified destination brand identity for Dallas – A Maverick, Can-Do Spirit – during a press conference held at the AT&T Discovery District in Downtown Dallas.
The new brand came about through extensive research and collaboration between Visit Dallas and city leaders, community stakeholders and residents, resulting in a dynamic and ownable identity that authentically reflects the qualities, personality and values that make Dallas what it is today and will be in the future.
“Dallas has never identified a clear differentiator nor established a unified brand, and research shows that visitors still associate Dallas with cliché Texas stereotypes,” said Visit Dallas Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Walker. “Our vision was to create a competitive positioning platform that could be adopted citywide to build equity and interest in Dallas as a world-class destination for years to come.”
To celebrate the brand’s launch, Visit Dallas hosted a press conference attended by the city’s difference-makers, game-changers, tastemakers, connectors and visionaries. Remarks were provided by City of Dallas Councilmember Gay Donnell Willis (District 13), Jennifer Scripps, CEO of Downtown Dallas, Inc. and Mary Pat Higgins, President and CEO of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and chairwoman of the Visit Dallas board of directors, in addition to Visit Dallas executive leaders.
“There could not be a more opportune time for this work than the present. There is so much on the horizon for our city – such as the new and expanded Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas and FIFA World Cup 26™, when Dallas will host more matches than any other city,” said Willis. “Now is the moment for Dallas to shine on the world stage. And the work our city has done on this destination brand is a wonderful underscore to Dallas’ ascension as a true global city.”
The event also included the introduction of “Can-Doers,” local visionaries and community leaders who embody the essence of a Maverick, Can-Do Spirit for each of the brand pillars. Portraits of the “Can-Doers,” commissioned by some of the city’s most renowned artists, were unveiled during the press conference. These “Can-Doers” include:
- Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman, Executive Chef, José
- Daron Babcock, Director of Community Transformation, Stand Together Foundation
- Daisha Board, Founder & Curator, Daisha Board Gallery
- Michelle Carpenter, Executive Chef & Owner, Restaurant Beatrice
- Cynt Marshall, Chief Executive Officer, Dallas Mavericks
- Arike Ogunbowale, Guard (#24), Dallas Wings
- Tim & Terrance Maiden, Co-Founders, Maiden Foundation
“These community leaders and luminaries represent the diversity, dynamism and swagger that power our destination story,” said Walker. “We’d also like to thank our incredibly talented local artists – Armando Sebastian, Haylee Ryan, Jeremy Biggers, Hatziel Flores, Blake Wright, Michelle Dekkers – for creating astounding portraits inspired by our ‘Can-Doers.’ These works of art will be displayed across Dallas over the coming weeks as a reminder of the can-do energy, pride, welcoming personality and even attitude that sets us apart.”
In addition to the new brand, Visit Dallas also announced the launch of an official partnership with Big Thought, a Dallas-based nonprofit organization equipping youth in marginalized communities with the skills and tools they need to imagine and create their best lives and a better world. Through this partnership, Visit Dallas will donate the net proceeds of commemorative “We Do Can-Do” T-shirt sales to Big Thought to further equip the nonprofit with the resources needed to expand its reach and mission.
As Visit Dallas prepares to share this new positioning with national audiences, Dallasites are encouraged to get involved and learn more by visiting www.DallasCanDo.com. Website visitors can also nominate other “Can-Doers” and purchase branded apparel in support of Big Thought.
“Now more than ever is an inspiring time to be a Dallasite,” said Visit Dallas CEO Craig Davis. “This brand, like this incredibly diverse city, is nothing without the passion, contribution and ‘Can-Do’ spirit of our people. Simply put, this new brand is you, the people of Dallas. Your innovative and bold energy is unmatched in any city on earth.”
About Big Thought
Big Thought is an impact education nonprofit that closes the opportunity gap by equipping all youth in marginalized communities with the skills and tools they need to imagine and create their best lives and a better world. Driven by its mission to make imagination a part of everyday learning, Big Thought has become a national model in arts education, out-of-school time systems, summer learning and juvenile justice intervention.
