VIDEO: New branding and video for Hvar Island presented 

(Photo. Sasa Cetkovic)

The Fabular Agency has unveiled a new brand strategy, slogan, visual identity, and brand video for the Croatian island of Hvar.

ZAGREB/HVAR, September 25, 2023 – The tourist boards of the island of Hvar have jointly presented a brand-new strategy, slogan, visual identity, and brand video. This marks the most extensive branding effort for a Croatian island, with the aim of connecting cities and municipalities through a shared narrative and showcasing the island as a unique destination.

The branding is the result of comprehensive research on the perception, potential, and challenges of the island of Hvar, including interviews with experts in tourism, history, and culture – ranging from local guides, public institution directors, and museum curators to representatives of wineries and hotels. 

(Photo. Sasa Cetkovic)

The survey also explored the perceptions of island residents and tourists who have visited Hvar.

This is another project from the internationally acclaimed branding agency Fabular, recognised in the REBRAND Hall of Fame as one of the top 25 brand consultants worldwide, led by Director of Branding Strategy Anja Bauer, the author of the proprietary methodology “8 Ingredients for Building a Brand.” 

Fabular’s team of consultants has previously worked on branding numerous tourist brands and products, including the Krapina-Zagorje County and the city of Trogir, for which they received special recognition from UNESCO as an exemplary destination branding effort.

(Photo. Sasa Cetkovic)

“The challenge was to find a common denominator or a relevant emotion that has been unique from ancient times to the present day. Amidst a series of captivating stories and peculiarities, we recognised ‘light’ as a motif that has been omnipresent on Hvar and has always attracted people in search of inspiration, beauty, and pleasure. Light, as a common thread, runs from the very meaning of the name ‘Hvar Island,’ through signal fires in antiquity, the ‘feral’ used for hunting sardines, the Za Križen procession, agave lace, and numerous other historical elements – all the way to today when the key association is ‘the sunniest island,'” emphasised Anja Bauer, owner and creative director of the Fabular agency.

(Photo. Sasa Cetkovic)

The new slogan, “Discover, Follow, and Be the Light,” and the new brand narrative invite people to discover it. The author of the new visual identity is the award-winning art director Maja Bagić Barić. The inspiration for the logo was the agave lace, one of Hvar’s treasures inscribed on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.

“The beauty of Hvar’s lace lies in the fact that none of it has a pattern; it’s a product of the imagination and artistic talent of each lace maker, above all, their inspiration and patience,” Bauer emphasized. The elements are arranged radiating from the center, much like sunbeams.

(Photo. Sasa Cetkovic)

The project has also given birth to a new promotional video of the island of Hvar. What makes this video special is that it showcases everything that makes Hvar the island of light, from its cultural landmarks to the legacy left behind by many Hvar writers, artists, builders, and scientists, to exceptional gastronomic experiences.

Check out the video below.