Case Study: Monterey Bay Aquarium refreshes its brand identity with Pentagram

Monterey Bay Aquarium refreshes branding for 81,000 animals across 771 species with Pentagram

The Monterey Bay Aquarium, a leading global voice for ocean conservation, sought a brand refresh to build on its legacy and prepare for its 40th anniversary. The challenge was to create a flexible visual platform that could coherently serve its incredibly wide-ranging audience and diverse programs spanning entertainment, education, research, and advocacy. Pentagram was engaged to develop this new brand identity.

Pentagram's solution centered on elevating the Aquarium’s iconic kelp symbol, simplifying it for scalability and making it the foundation of a dynamic visual language. The vendor implemented a broader color palette inspired by the Monterey Bay and introduced bespoke typography to create a cohesive system. This new identity provides clarity and consistency across all brand expressions, from marketing to merchandise, equipping the Monterey Bay Aquarium with a vibrant platform to support its mission for years to come.

Monterey Bay Aquarium