After four years of hard work, Anak, the design agency of The Secret Little Agency, has finally unveiled the new look of Wildlife Reserves Singapore. Rebranded as the Mandai Wildlife Group — which manages the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, home to five wildlife parks, a nature and conservation foundation, and an eco-friendly resort — Mandai’s efforts are directed toward a healthier planet and protecting nature and animals.
Finding itself at the intersection between being a zoo and a 126-hectare reserve, the self-funded organization needed a brand identity that would not only reflect its offerings but also amplify its position as a global champion for biodiversity. The fact is that “biodiversity has a branding problem.” But even though there is a global awareness of the issues that affect nature, they are seen as too demanding or even inaccessible to solve. With this in mind, Anak set out to define Mandai through a brand system based on a simple, but quite urgent, exhortation: “Come to Life” — a tagline that Mandai uses to prompt us all to take action for nature.
In developing the branding — which was built from the ground up — Anak has created a new design playbook for biodiversity, where each decision was taken following a simple rule: That wildlife, humans, and nature are equal. By doing so, the brand invites the world to work towards a world that is ours.
Mandai’s brand system takes its inspiration from nature and the animals that are in its care. As a pioneer of the open zoo concept, with cageless habitats, visitors appreciate Mandai for its enchanting beauty. Based on the concept of being closer to nature, each branding element attracts the viewers’ interest and captivates them with wildlife-inspired colors, photography and illustrations, and a tropical motif that frames the wonderful world of Mandai.
Collaborating with the reserve’s horticulture team and live sciences team and working with illustrator Stevie Anderson, Anak developed a library of more than 800 illustrated and photographic elements, which have been drawn from the five flagship wildlife parks’ existing flora and fauna, to help highlight Mandai’s natural landscapes that have been captivating guests for fifty years.
Using a customized typeface, the agency gave a consistent voice to Mandai that feels open and friendly. Reflected throughout every single touchpoint — from brand architecture and nomenclature to programming, organizational culture, and visitors’ pre- and post-visit experience — the design playbook for biodiversity also supports Mandai’s power to help bring an overwhelmed and disengaged population back to nature by breathing life into conservation’s visual language.
