QUO was presented with the opportunity to undertake one of its most multi-faceted and fascinating projects in Vietnam to date.
The job was to assist in the brand development of a mountain in Northern Vietnam. This wasn’t just any mountain. It was Yen Tu Mountain—a beautiful 1,068-metre peak just an hour from the Ha Long Bay UNESCO World Heritage Site. Set amid the jungle-clad mountains of Northern Vietnam, Yen Tu Mountain is steeped in history and remains a spiritual home for many Vietnamese people.
The challenge for QUO was to develop Yen Tu Mountain into a modern and accessible brand, making it attractive to younger Vietnamese eager to explore their roots and adventurous to international visitors from East Asia and the West who want to discover something exciting and new.
Taking the destination’s existing tagline, ‘Journey to your essence’, as a starting point, our brand team developed four key brand traits that reflected the history, spirituality and natural beauty of Yen Tu Mountain: Living Heritage, Natural Calm, Spiritual Journey and An Inspiring Legacy.
Brand strategy and culture
Guest journey experience
Logo and visual identity
Tone of voice
Applications
In keeping with the project’s goal of combining old and new elements in creating the brand’s new identity, the mark from the old logo was integrated into the new logo design. It was agreed that the layered bodhi leaf-shaped mark perfectly communicated the spirituality and the sense of inner journey central to the Yen Tu experience. The ‘Journey to your essence’ tagline was also retained, while QUO designed a new font for the logo and the letterform for the brand’s copy.
When developing a new brand voice for Yen Tu Mountain, QUO crafted an extensive guide to help copywriters achieve this in their writing—from tips on creating intrigue to how to bring the mountain’s natural elements to life through onomatopoeia and other literary techniques. The result is a soothing, relaxing voice that echoes the tranquillity of the destination.
QUO also developed a wide range of applications to support its establishment as a major international tourist destination. From the simplest elements, such as stationary and business cards, intricate trade fair booths and on-site signage, QUO has implemented Yen Tu Mountain’s distinctive visual identity across all its assets and collateral.
