The Brand Union Designs "Brand USA" Logo and Visual Identity

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Nov 7, 2011) - The Brand Union (www.thebrandunion.com), the WPP-owned brand strategy and design consultancy, today announced its role in designing the Brand USA identity, America's first-ever global consumer brand. The agency worked in tandem with the United State's Corporation for Travel Promotion, newly named Brand USA Inc., to create a new brand identity, name and logo. The identity was announced this morning during the World Travel Market -- the leading global event for the travel industry -- at London's British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

According to The Brand Union New York, the new design captures the spirit of the United States: Authentic. Optimistic. Unexpected. Inclusive. Endless Possibilities. It features an arrangement of dots joining together to compose the letters USA. The dots and their varied color scheme are meant to represent the diversity of people and experiences that can be found in the United States. To further emphasize that there is no single, definitive United States, the identity is not tied to a single palette and can appear in a range of color schemes. The logo also displays the URL DiscoverAmerica.com, Brand USA's official consumer website.

"The United States is a nation of opportunity -- created more by the people that inhabit it than the physical country itself -- and we wanted our brand to reflect this dynamic," said Chris Perkins, Chief Marketing Officer of Brand USA Inc. "The Brand Union created a design and identity that embodies the optimism and energy of the United States, and also reflects the fact that there is no single identifier of the country -- every visitor creates his or her own United States."

Working with JWT, who will be launching a full advertising campaign in March of 2012, The Brand Union was challenged to create a new name and visual identity that would inspire foreign consumers to come visit the United States, ultimately helping to drive job creation and economic growth.

"In designing the identity we wanted to find a logo that was both aspirational and true to the heart of the country; the use of a percolating image encapsulates the energy and optimism that draws people to the United States," added Wally Krantz, who led the brand identity initiative for The Brand Union New York.

The United States' first-ever nationally coordinated tourism marketing program was created by the Travel Promotion Act, federal legislation passed in March 2010. A public-private partnership between the travel industry and the U.S. government, Brand USA Inc. was charged with increasing international visitation to the United States through marketing and promotional efforts to drive economic growth that creates jobs. The organization is led by private industry with oversight from the Department of Commerce and U.S. Congress. The program is funded through a combination of private sector investment and funds collected by the Department of Homeland Security from international visitors who visit the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. No U.S. taxpayer dollars are used to fund the program. Brand USA's headquarters are located in Washington, DC.

About The Brand Union
The Brand Union (www.thebrandunion.com) is a leading global brand agency with over 500 staff members in 21 offices in 16 countries. In New York, The Brand Union is led by Rob Scalea, Chief Executive Officer Americas, and Richard Bates, Chief Creative Officer Americas. We are in the business of helping companies grow, direct, and protect their brands. Our extensive range of capabilities brings our clients' brands to life internally and externally through research, strategy, identity, interactive, packaging, environments, advertising, media planning/ buying, and employee brand engagement.

The Brand Union strives to be an indispensable business partner to its clients, by providing strategic and creative brand-centric marketing solutions that turn brand expression into competitive advantage. Since our founding in 1968, we have helped build some of the world's most enduring and valuable brands, including Bank of America, Vodafone, The Coca-Cola Company, Pernod Ricard, Reckitt Benckiser and SPX.

As part of the WPP network of over 150 companies operating within 107 countries, we have immediate access to global experts in every marketing communications discipline that can be accessed as needed.

About Brand USA
The Corporation for Travel Promotion -- now doing business as Brand USA Inc. -- was created for the purpose of encouraging travelers from all over the world to visit the United States of America. The public-private marketing entity was created in 2010 to work in close partnership with the travel industry to maximize the economic and social benefits of travel in communities around the country. Through its call-to-action "Discover America," Brand USA will encourage and inspire travelers to explore America's boundless possibilities. For industry or partner information about Brand USA, visit http://www.TheBrandUSA.com. Visit Brand USA's consumer website at www.DiscoverAmerica.com.