Parks Tacoma
100% Agree. Parks Make Life Better.
A name change is easy. Community understanding? Not always. When Metro Parks Tacoma became Parks Tacoma, the goal wasn’t just awareness — it was buy-in. While locals loved their parks, many didn’t realize just how much the organization offered. JayRay partnered with Parks Tacoma to thoughtfully launch the new brand, building a campaign that clarified the shift, celebrated the system and met the moment with a little humor.
GUIDING THOUGHT
Not every rebrand needs a hard sell. When community sentiment is already positive, the opportunity is to build familiarity, not force it. By leading with humor and honesty, we created a campaign that lowered resistance, invited curiosity and reinforced a simple truth: parks are already part of people’s lives, whether they realize it or not.
A Launch People Could Relate To
We developed a comprehensive brand launch strategy, including messaging, creative concepting, media planning and social content, to introduce Parks Tacoma with clarity and personality.
At the center: a campaign built on humor. Playful, “totally made up” stats like “50% of toddlers visit parks for the puddles” and “45% of people visit to avoid chores” created an approachable tone, paired with a simple reminder: the benefits of parks are very real. Temporary signage across parks helped reinforce the transition in real time.
Made for Tacoma, Not Just Anywhere
Because we know Tacoma, we knew this launch didn’t need to shout; it needed to feel familiar. The campaign balanced digital, print, radio, streaming and social placements to meet people where they already were, both online and in the parks themselves.
We also understood that 100% agreement isn’t realistic in a rebrand. So instead of pushing for perfection, we leaned into relatability. Humor became the bridge diffusing skepticism, sparking recognition and helping the community connect with the new name in a way that felt natural, not forced.
Results: Well Played
