Highlands, North Carolina, is a mountain escape with a city's perspective and sense of taste. Shaped by altitude, natural beauty and intention, the town has cultivated a culture that pairs vacation comforts with the ruggedness of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Matey partnered with the Highlands Chamber of Commerce to reposition the destination through strategy, messaging and a new visual identity that balances provocative wildlife with refined elegance. The result gives Highlands a sense of allure and magic, hinting that there is more than meets the eye.

In the past, the tourism department leaned heavily on brands like Old Edwards Inn and Spa and Highlander Mountain House, as well as generational word of mouth, to draw attention to the destination. Matey was tasked with helping Highlands reclaim its own narrative and build a brand that feels like a holistic reflection of the town. The project gave Visit Highlands a distinctive identity and a strategic platform built for a growing destination marketing organization (DMO). It now covers everything from visitor communications and seasonal campaigns to stakeholder alignment and place promotion.

Hewn from the wild in 1875, Highlands has grown into a cultural retreat of art, food, boutiques, live performances and folk music under the stars. At 4,118 feet there is much to discover and space to breathe, and the brand strategy casts Visit Highlands as a guide to that discovery: knowledgeable and assured, if a little wandering at times. Like an adept host, it offers suggestions in an understated way, knowing that a gem this rare doesn't need to be touted, just experienced. It welcomes new ideas while placing faith in customs made over time, and the more lore-like, the better.

The visual identity is anchored by a custom-lettered logotype inspired by collateral found in the Highlands archive. With nothing falling below the baseline, the tall letters draw the gaze upward, echoing the winding ascent to the plateau. Whiteside Mountain, the town's most iconic landmark, is tucked inside the logotype's “H”, a detail that rewards a second look. Set beside the town's previous thin, spaced-out wordmark, the gain in height and character is immediate.

A collection of hand-drawn icons celebrates the region's natural beauty and artistic culture: a salamander, Whiteside Mountain, the rhododendron, a bird and a burst of sunshine. The icons lock up into a handcrafted circular badge that works as a seal across print, merchandise and signage. Layered mountain silhouettes extend the same hand into a flexible graphic texture for backgrounds and pattern work.

Rich jewel tones meet grounded natural hues across the palette, from deep forest green to rhododendron pink and ochre. Supporting typography brings warmth and utility to the system, pairing New Kansas with ABC Whyte and Office Times Round. The combination carries cleanly from the guidelines and stationery to business cards, the visitor experience guide and long-form brand storytelling.

The identity also stretches into merchandise and campaign touchpoints, from caps and water bottles to subway posters and billboards that invite visitors up the mountain. Throughout, it balances the sophistication of Highlands with its slightly wild character. The system reads as whimsical yet refined, storied yet distinctly of the moment, giving visitors a reason to keep coming back for more.