MILES CITY — Governor Greg Gianforte and the Montana Department of Commerce unveiled the state’s new branding campaign during the kickoff of the World Famous Bucking Horse Sale in Miles City on Friday, marking the first major refresh in 16 years.
The new campaign introduces a redesigned logo, a vibrant color palette inspired by Montana’s landscapes, and a revamped state website. The new brand will be used for tourism marketing, trade and exports, and business attraction by the entire state.
GIANFORTE TALKS ABOUT THE NEW BRAND:
“For the first time in 16 years, we're reintroducing Montana to the world," said Gianforte. “This brand is not about tourism. It's about telling the truth about who we are, and in doing so, we're opening the door to new jobs, new investment, and new opportunities in every corner of our state.”
According to the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana, more than 13 million visitors came to the state, and Montana saw over $6.1 billion injected into the state’s economy in 2024 as a result of tourism.
“It helps pay for our teachers and our schools and our first responders and things like that, so it's a huge contributor to the economy of the state," said Wendy Swenson, director of Visit Southeast Montana. “People want those experiences. They will travel for events, they'll travel for those different things that they can't experience at home."
Swenson's organization is one of six tourism regions partnered with the Department of Commerce. The money for the marketing efforts comes from the state's lodging tax, which is redistributed to support regional promotion, parks, and historical sites. While the full benefits from the new campaign will not be known right away, she views the changes as a positive for the region and a way to bring in more revenue.
"The partnership with the state is huge. They just help give general awareness to the larger idea of people coming to Montana, showcasing not only national parks, but state parks and other attractions that we have," said Swenson. "We get to showcase what we're doing in our region and in our communities, and just convince people that Southeast has got to be part of their trip.”
The campaign makes a large push for authenticity. The brand is built on extensive research, including input from over 1,600 residents and out-of-state visitors, as well as tribal leaders and community voices.
“I think that this brand is gonna do a better job talking about the caliber of the people, the communities, the work ethic, the independence, our faith—brings it together in a way that tells the truth about Montana," said Gianforte. "As people choose to come and visit, our desire is that they experience just the hospitality, the hard work, the resilience, the independence of the people of Montana. That's really what's so critical."
Mitch Staley, the chief marketing officer for the Department of Commerce, said the refresh was long overdue and will help expand efforts to market Montana.
“A lot has changed in 16 years, so that would be around 2008 when the previous brand was launched, and you just can think of technology changes alone," said Staley. “The marketing that we do to promote our state will be all over the state of Montana, of course, but including all over the country with audiences that are likely to come in and want to experience something that Montana has to has to offer them."
According to Staley, the changes aim to highlight local stories, lesser-known locations, and will center on Montanans themselves.
"This brand is really not just a tourism brand," said Staley. "It also helps represent all that Montana's economy has to offer to the world, and really, Montana is open for business, and this brand is going to tell that story."
The campaign will hit the road across the state this summer with a vintage 1968 Chevrolet C-10 truck painted with the new logo and campaign elements.
The tour will stop at events such as the Livingston Farmers Market, Missoula Summer MADE Fair, and the Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament in Glasgow.
The brand message represents that Montana is more than a destination, but a way of life, and one that Montanans are eager to share.
"We're allowing our residents to be those ambassadors for us and for the state, not just have those taglines or big campaigns or the great landscape photos, but really showcasing what people in the state love and that we want to share with everybody else,” said Swenson.
To visit the new Montana website, click here.
