There’s a new ferry service preparing for launch between Vancouver and Nanaimo.
The service, which is operated by the Vancouver Island Ferry Company (VIFC), wanted to set a friendly and approachable tone that speaks to the convenience it offers guests as a go-between for Vancouver and Vancouver Island. In 2021, it tapped Zulu Alpha Kilo to help deliver on that goal, and the agency led the development not only of the new service’s name, but also its visual identity and design, as well as the physical design of the ferries.
Named Hullo, the brand borrows hues from the environment in which it operates and the purpose it serves, including greens inspired by the Salish Sea (which it ferries passengers across), a light beige of the beaches along the coast and a nautical orange. Those design choices are “so meaningful as they tie in so perfectly with our community around us,” says Xander France, director of sales and marketing for the VIFC.
The agency also worked with shipbuilders Damen Shipyards Group on the physical design of the vessels – an “exceptional experience” that “brought creative and innovative concepts to us that really make the vessels stand out in the industry,” according to Thijs Muskens, design and proposal engineer of high-speed craft for the company.
“Establishing a brand from its purpose and foundational identity through to conceptualizing the name, personality and experience is at the core of what we love to do for our partners,” says Stephanie Yung, chief design officer at the agency. “We are proud of the work we have done with the VIFC team to help them stand apart in this well-established industry.”
The vessels can be seen in Victoria ahead of the launch of the service later in the summer season.
The project is the latest for ZAK’s Vancouver office, which last week launched a campaign for Vancity Original’s bid to bring an NBA franchise back to the city. The office opened last year and has also picked up Save-On-Foods and Destination B.C. as clients in the intervening months.
