Expo Center launches new branding

You may have seen it on a TriMet bus, at a great event with family and friends, or while cruising along I-5: The Portland Expo Center has a bright new look.

And while Expo Center has always been Portland’s Gathering Place, staff at the 53-acre campus wanted the venue to reflect the packed halls, lively shows and diverse portfolio of events they bring in each year.

“We bring truly exceptional events to the Portland-Vancouver region, like America’s Largest Antique and Collectible Show, the Home and Garden Show and new events like Cirque du Soliel, the Rock-n’-Roll Marathon and even the Vans Warped Tour,” said Director Matthew Rotchford. “We realized that we were not conveying the real energy and vibrancy of this place with the color battleship grey. We needed a new look.”

So the staff started working with a new pallet. 

Expo Center connected with Gard Communications and OakTree Digital to create its new logo, website and communications plan.

Many area residents got a first glimpse of the cheerful and bright new Expo logo atop its existing 120-foot-tall tower. Four connected hexagons – called “Expogons” by the staff – call out the letters of E-X-P-O.

Rotchford said the overlapping shapes represent their connection to clients, vendors and visitors to the center. And a modern use of neon lighting around the hexagons helps add a sense of destination, with homage to the past. 

“With events like the Rose City Classic Dog Show and the Portland Auto Swap Meet, which we have hosted for more than a half-century, we wanted to tip our hats to the past and move forward with them into the future,” said Rotchford of the 92-year old venue. “Kudos to our designer, John Plymale with Gard Communications for really hitting it out of the park. He landed on a design that shows our spirit.”

Today the Portland Expo Center is the only facility operated by the Metropolitan Exposition-Recreation Commission that is fully self-supporting and subsidy free - that means no property taxes are added to run this facility. While owned by Metro, and managed by MERC and Expo, the Expo Center is truly supported by the producers and patrons that make all of these events possible. We could not do it without these great partnerships,” said Rotchford.

With its new brand adding a splash of color throughout campus, and all over town, Expo remains the place for outstanding service and exceptional events.

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