PacSci "Be Curious" Brand Activation
Updated: Jan 19
How we helped a Seattle icon introduce its refreshed brand to the community and elevate its powerful mission.
Seattle, WA
Nonprofit
Focus: B2C, Internal
CONTEXT
With new leadership and an infusion of entrepreneurial energy, Seattle's iconic Pacific Science Center was ready to tell its story in a fresh, bold way. They had invested in an updated brand strategy and visual identity, but their agency had closed and they needed help launching the new brand concept.
Vitamin C worked closely with PacSci's leadership and creative team to develop an extensible, evergreen brand campaign, and to activate the revitalized brand across a number of high-profile touchpoints including signage, cafe and concessions naming, events naming, and membership program design.
VITAMIN C SERVICES
Brand Strategy
Competitive analysis
Comprehensive brand audit
Translation of overarching updated brand strategy into brand campaign strategy
High-level messaging maps
Brand voice and tone development
"Be Curious" campaign guidelines
Brand Activation
Overall creative and content direction for large-format ads, print, social media, website, monthly themes, and other formats
Development of short, medium, and long "Be Curious" campaign content
Café/concessions and event naming
Membership program development and naming
Ongoing guidance for brand activation and overall communications
Website content development
MOMENT OF CLARITY
Curiosity was central to PacSci's mission, and we explored a number of takes on it, from playful "Curiosity Rules" to an open-ended "What happens when...?" format. One campaign concept, "Stay Curious," particularly resonated with the team for its active language and concise expression, which we knew would work particularly well on "quick read" formats like bus wraps and billboards. PacSci's CEO suggested a wording tweak to draw in new visitors, and "Be Curious" was born.
CREATIVE INSPIRATION
When we explored names for PacSci's newly revamped cafe, snack cart, and bar area, we turned to the mission for inspiration. The core idea of "igniting curiosity" evolved into the Fuel Up Café and Spark Cart. "Fuel Up" also incorporated a cue for visitors to come upstairs to find the cafe on the 2nd floor, a somewhat out-of-the-way location. We continued the theme with Gravity Bar, a new lounge area where visitors could enjoy local beer, wine, and cider near the entrance of the Boeing IMAX theater, on the very lowest level.
CONTENT CLIP
COLLABORATORS
PacSci internal design team
HAPPY CLIENT
"Grateful to have you as a partner. Thank you for all the amazing work you've done for us!" Eleanor Bradley, Chief Commercial Officer
"I'm excited about this! The emotional/experiential feel of the [Be Curious] text overall is just what I might have hoped for." Sarah Moore, Living Exhibits Manager
I like thinking about following curiosity through everyday information through small observations rather than trying to reach a conclusion immediately. A clear question can turn a casual interest into something easier to explore. I would connect Nslk with Nslk learning ideas through an ordinary example rather than a broad claim. The smaller details are what I would want to return to, especially when an explanation feels too broad. How do you decide which detail deserves a closer look before moving on?
Considering following curiosity through everyday information, I would want to understand a few concrete details before deciding what matters most. A clear question can turn a casual interest into something easier to explore. With Gdjhzhwl in mind, Gdjhzhwl learning ideas feels like a topic worth exploring one question at a time. It leaves me curious about the steps between understanding an idea and putting it into practice. How do you decide which detail deserves a closer look before moving on?
I keep coming back to the everyday side of creating welcoming community activities, where a simple detail can lead to a wider question. A small shared activity can help people contribute without needing to know everyone in advance. The name Foundedontruth gives this theme a memorable reference point, while community participation ideas keeps the subject in focus. I am still thinking through the practical side, because the context can change what seems useful. What would make an invitation easier for a newcomer to accept?
A discussion of understanding how public messages are received seems more useful when it connects an idea with something easy to picture. The same message can be understood differently by people with different expectations. That is why the connection between Echoreach and public relations communication makes me want to think through an example. That is the part I would keep thinking about after moving on to something else. How would you check whether a message says what its audience needs to know?
What interests me about discussing values through historical biographies is how a broad idea becomes part of an ordinary day. A person's choices can help learners discuss values in a particular historical setting. For me, that is a useful way into the broader subject of historical biography education. I can imagine different answers depending on the situation, so I would want to understand the context before drawing conclusions. How can a biography lesson connect context with questions students recognise today?