Terra Bashkiria

Terra Bashkiria.
Tourist brand
of the Republic of Bashkortostan

Designing of the tourist brand of the Republic of Bashkortostan has formed a modern unique bright face of the territory, an image that allows to identify and promote it in the internal and external markets.

The Republic of Bashkortostan, located on the oldest land in the Southern Urals and the Pre-Urals, has a unique nature and history. Here, for example, is the Shulgan-Tash cave, famous for rock art of the Paleolithic era, including the oldest and only depiction of a camel in Europe. The estimated age of the oldest drawings is about 40 thousand years. There are no more than five similar unique caves of this period on the territory of Eurasia, and it is the only one on the territory of Eastern Europe and Russia. Also in Bashkiria the traditions of honey hunting have been preserved well like nowhere else in the world.

To develop a strategy and positioning, research was conducted — a questionnaire survey of representatives of the tourism industry and the target audience of Russia and abroad through a professional internet portal. In-depth interviews with heads of travel agencies also became sources of information. Thematic round tables were held in Ufa with the invitation of the widest and most diverse audience: journalists and bloggers, creative intelligentsia, youth. The result was the formation of an analytical report and a summary of conclusions from its data. Four main directions of tourism were identified — winter (ski), health (sanatoriums), summer (rafting) and sightseeing.

At this stage a website www.bashkortostan.paradoxbox.ru was created. The progress of the work was reflected there, the tasks and all related details were described. Video diaries from round tables were periodically created and published. The entire project implementation process was as transparent as possible. In addition, at the invitation of the studio, leading branding experts formed an international expert group for an independent assessment. They periodically gave interviews, and upon completion of the work a series of videos was released with their views on the created brand.

The concept was formulated as follows: Bashkiria is an ancient reserved land that keeps primeval secrets among the pristine nature. The main conclusion from the analytical block was that Bashkiria is practically unknown outside its territory. This influenced the formation of the verbal message and naming — Terra Bashkiria, which resonates with such phraseological units as Terra Incognita, Terra Nova, which have also become part of the brand.

Also, research has shown that it is easier and clearer for people to use the word "Bashkiria". This version sounds softer and more poetic, easier to pronounce and it’s unique. "Bashkortostan" merges with the names of other territories that end in "stan", many of which have negative associations. Also, "Bashkiria" phonetically harmoniously combines with the word "Terra", fitting into a unique verbal and mental structure. It is also important that "Bashkiria" is one of the historical names of the region, existing, according to various sources, from the XIV–XVI centuries.

The brand's slogan is “Soul of Ural. Heart of Eurasia". The Urals are very large and varied. Businesslike — Yekaterinburg, industrial — Chelyabinsk or Magnitogorsk. The unique positioning, which does not enter into semantic competition with neighboring regions, is based on the fact that the Bashkir ethnos is the only one locally living in the territory of the Southern Urals since ancient times. This is confirmed by toponyms and culture, inextricably linked with this geographical area. Thus, Bashkiria is the soul of the South Urals, its salt. A mysterious land located in the heart of Eurasia.

The reinvention of national ornaments and coloristics has become a platform for identity. Maximally abstract sign made it possible to combine four different directions of tourism. As a style-forming element decorative strips that go back to the ethnic motives of textile embellishment are used. Each user of the identity is free to "weave" his pattern from the colors presented in the guide, choosing his own chromatic scale and composition, becoming a co-author of the corporate identity.

The author of the project: Ilshat Baiburin
Inspirators and curators: Lira Ibragimovna Baiburina, Elena Osadova
Designers: Anna Aksentyeva, Dina Vasilevskaya, Zarina Khazieva,
Alexey Sytin, Konstantin Neiman
Marketer: Salavat Nazarov
Manager: Elena Akatieva
PR support: Elena Aryamnova
Accountant: Lyudmila Blashko
Technical support: Nikolay Ivanov

International expert group: Alexey Andreev, Vadim Bunkov,
Vladislav Derevyanykh, Erken Kagarov, Irina Karandaeva,
Sergey Kim, Andrey Kozhanov, Vladimir Lifanov, Ksenia Lukicheva,
Alexey Lysogorov, Garegin Martirosyan, Anna Mukhina, Dmitry Peryshkov,
Gatis Rosenfeld, Danil Snitko, Evgeny Fateev, Vladimir Fedoseev,
Artemy Fominykh, Elena Yufereva

Terra Bashkiria

Owner

Terra Bashkiria

Creative Fields