Overview
In 2025, the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture launched the Akamai Arrival program. The Akamai Arrival program encourages people to be smart about protecting Hawaiʻi’s delicate ecosystems and native species, from the destruction of invasive species, by digitizing the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture’s paper declaration form. The intent was that digitization would create a more convenient customer experience, increase engagement, and improve accuracy of data collected. The purpose of the Akamai Arrival brand campaign was to establish an identity for the program that could be used for promotional purposes to visitors and kamaʻaina.
I was looped into this project about 3.5 weeks prior to the launch of the pilot program. I found out that this project had been in the works for over a year, but the key stakeholders only thought about “a logo” less than a month away from the pilot launch. Due to my design expertise, I was brought on simply to design a logo. However, once I learned more about the project, I informed the team that a cohesive branded campaign identity would be best for this new program.
Akamai Arrival logo
Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture Declaration Paper Form
Research
Digital Form Objectives
- Replace paper State Agriculture Declaration Form handed out on flights to Hawaiʻi
- Reduce paper usage and automate existing manual process
- Modernize data collection, analysis, and enforcement
- Create a better customer experience via digital interface and multi-device accessibility
Brand Campaign Objectives
- Establish consistent visual brand experience across digital and print marketing channels
- Promote new program name and functionality
- Reflect the greater purpose of protecting Hawaiʻi from invasive species
- Instill a call-to-action for visitors and kamaʻaina to fill out the new digital form and help them understand the importance
Strategy
- Consistent look across all marketing assets
- Visual theme alludes to the keywords of “Hawaiʻi,” “Environment,” “Arrival”
- Use thematic ideas of “Ocean,” “Sky,” “Land” and “Birds” to support main keywords
- Tie in visual theme with Native Hawaiian cultural significance
- Contemporary aesthetic to match modernization of digital form
A stakeholder from the State of Hawai’i’s Lieutenant Governor’s office had created a concept logo (shown) that was under consideration for the pilot program. My key stakeholder at HDOA however, wanted to see more options, and looped me into the project to help. The existing concept logo was difficult to read, emphasized the word “Arrival” over “Akamai”, did not allude to anything specific or representational about Hawai’i, and would lose visibility when scaled down to a small size (due to the small airplane icon).
Brainstorming with my key HDOA stakeholder, we wanted the logo to showcase the ideas behind “Akamai” and “Arrival” while also alluding to Hawai’i and preserving its natural environment. Core themes relating to the “Ocean,” “Sky,” “Land,” and “Birds” would be integrated to convey metaphorical notions of arriving to the islands without using more literal imagery, like an airplane. These themes also had Native Hawaiian cultural significance relating to Polynesian wayfinders and their sophisticated way of voyaging across the the Pacific Ocean, discovering archipelagos like Hawaii.
The goal was to create a cohesive and scalable brand identity, not just a logo. A formal color palette, font choices, photography style, and supporting thematic graphic elements were all part of the strategy to make this a professional brand campaign for the new digital form and its supporting marketing assets.
Initial concept logo designed by Lieutenant Governor’s office, prior to my involvement in the project.
Process
Logo Sketches
Initial Proof Of Concept
Concept 5 Selected – Proof of Concept Variations
Akamai Arrival Logo, Final
Solution
- Hawaiian Voyaging concept chosen for cultural significance
- Arrival by “Sea” and “Sky” represented by simple icons
- Supporting color scheme to reinforce “Ocean,” “Sky” and “Land”
- Flexible logo: Icon and Logotype that can be arranged horizontally or Vertically based on usage and placement.
- High contrast and vibrant colors for contemporary and technology feel
After presenting all five concepts to the team, the Hawaiian Voyaging concept was chosen for its cultural significance and the various themes it combines into a simplistic representation. The Polynesian voyagers who arrived to Hawaii were extremely akamai (smart) using nature’s elements and signs to navigate to the islands. They used the ocean and the sky as their compass, sailing on their double-hulled voyaging canoes. Bringing only what was necessary for survival on their voyage, they set out with a sense of curiosity and respect for their destination.
This logo embodies the spirit of those voyagers and their arrival to Hawaii.
Final Campaign Brand Guidelines and Marketing Assets
Results
- Comprehensive brand guidelines
- Unified look and consistent visual theme across marketing collateral
- Scalable
- Meaningful branding related to Hawaii and objective of digital form
After implementing the visual solutions across all marketing assets for the Akamai Arrival program, a unified and consistent look was established to create a strong brand identity associated with the new digital form. By going above and beyond just creating a logo, brand guidelines were formulated to enforce standardization and to make the marketing scalable across various State departments, especially for non-designers who might need to create marketing materials.
Through color and Hawaii-related graphic imagery, the brand connects to the local culture, history, and values, promoting the preservation of Hawaii’s natural ecosystems and native species.
Landing pages and emails
