Graphic Design in Destination Branding: A Visual Analysis of Caribbean Country Brand Marks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20868/ardin.2026.15.5672Keywords:
graphic design, visual identity, visual communication, country branding, destination brandingAbstract
This article analyses 25 brand marks from countries bordering the Caribbean Sea to identify their visual components, describe their formal characteristics, and detect common patterns in the graphic design used in the branding of tourist destinations. Based on a quantitative, inductive approach, content analysis was employed to analyse the linguistic signs, iconographic symbols, and chromatic elements of these brand marks across four dimensions, 19 variables, and 77 categories. The results revealed a preference for nominal strategies, sans serif typography, and the predominant use of English, at the expense of symbolic or cultural elements. This tendency was interpreted ambivalently: on the one hand, as a lack of renewal in the face of current branding trends that prioritise flexible, narrative graphic systems; on the other hand, as a conscious decision to avoid visual clichés associated with the Caribbean's exotic imagery. In a complementary manner, the limited presence of elements of national identity, such as national colours or cultural symbols, suggested a strategy of visual differentiation in the governmental image, oriented towards a more neutral, versatile, and commercial aesthetic. The study provides a visual analysis model applicable to other brand marks and contributes to assessing the materiality of the territory contained in tourism branding. Furthermore, the results of this analysis can support decision-making by design, marketing, and tourism managers and professionals seeking to advance tourism and economic development in a destination.
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