Brand Development

Manatee Center

At the heart of this cultural organization is an undeniable draw – the gentle and endangered warm-water marine animal, the manatee. A decades-old community and tourism center, the Manatee Education and Observation Center is more than meets the eye but was often overlooked in its powerful mission as an environmental resource and education center fighting for the preservation of Florida’s Indian River Lagoon.

The Center’s origins run deep as a division of the City of Fort Pierce founded by the local power company and supported by a nonprofit foundation. Its lengthy and misleading name promised sightings of manatees that often didn’t show — underscoring the need for a shift in visitor expectation and the need for education to save the river habitat that supports its unique wildlife, including the beloved manatees. Under a new director, the center is destined to new heights with a vision to restore the river the center resides upon, raise new generations of eco-conscious community members and visitors, and revitalize the center’s purpose, programs and facilities.

Research showed that staff, leadership and community members were eager to embrace the cultural organization’s more prominent role in environmentalism and the protection of the Indian River Lagoon. A shortened name to Manatee Center removed confusion yet retained the draw and focus on manatees as the welcome sign to learn more about their mission. Colors of the lagoon lure us into tranquil spaces, with lots of visual texture and layers to feel with our sight and senses. Messages focus on eco-education and our place in the protection of earth’s living things and each other. A tagline of Learn at the Lagoon directly reflects new mission and vision statements, carrying the Center far into the future.