Unifying a Global Map Brand for a New Era of Travel
Scope
Brand Identity
Brand Guidelines
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Cartovia is a specialized online retailer of printed maps and travel resources, offering more than 19,000 products to independent travellers, hikers, educators, and explorers worldwide.
Previously operating as MapsCompany in English markets and La Compagnie des Cartes in French, the business had built deep product credibility and operational strength over more than a decade.
As the business evolved, the founders made the strategic decision to unify under a single name. However, they needed a visual identity and brand system that could carry this new chapter with confidence.
Jacknife stepped in to guide the evolution. Through a focused discovery session with key stakeholders, the conversation quickly moved beyond products and logistics to something more philosophical. Why do maps still matter in a digital world? What emerged was a shared conviction. Maps are not just tools. They are acts of intention. They slow you down and invite you to understand a place, not simply arrive there.
That insight became the foundation for the brand. The name Cartovia, rooted in cartography and via, meaning the way forward, became both a literal and symbolic anchor. It signals movement, exploration, and purpose while working naturally across languages and markets.
From there, the visual system was built to embody the mindset of real travellers. These are people who plan routes, circle destinations, and treat the journey as part of the experience.
At the centre of the identity is a confident wordmark designed for clarity and memorability. A subtle but meaningful detail lives within it. The lowercase “i” doubles as a map pin. When circled, it echoes the universal information symbol and reinforces Cartovia’s role as both guide and trusted source. It is a small gesture that reflects a larger belief. The right piece of information, at the right moment, can change how you experience a place.
Alongside the wordmark, a bold logomark acts as the brand’s flag. Constructed from three elemental ideas, map, direction, and footprints, it represents the spirit of exploration shared by Cartovia’s community. The symbol speaks less about navigation technology and more about the human instinct to move, discover, and mark progress along the way.
The colour system balances heritage with energy. Evergreen anchors the brand with confident depth and reflects Cartovia’s commitment to offering the most current and reliable maps available. Parchment introduces a sense of history and nostalgia, referencing the tactile legacy of printed cartography. Accent colours add momentum. Navigator Neon brings the highlighter energy of routes circled and destinations marked, while Ochre introduces a grounded warmth that connects the system back to the landscapes travellers are eager to explore.
Photography plays an important role in storytelling within the system. The visual language moves between two complementary perspectives. Destination shots capture the places waiting to be discovered. Explorer shots focus on the people experiencing them. Used together, they tell the complete Cartovia story. The world to discover and the travellers drawn to experience it.
Graphic elements extend the brand’s sense of movement and planning. A subtle world-outline graphic operates as the atmospheric backbone of the design system, appearing as a large-scale map layer behind content. It quietly reinforces the spirit of exploration while giving layouts depth and context.
From the wordmark’s map pin detail, a secondary graphic language emerges. The pin becomes a versatile tool. It can be arranged as routes that suggest movement and trip planning, placed across the world map to highlight featured destinations, or enlarged to create focal points within layouts. In some instances, duplicated pins form a binocular-like motif that invites travellers to look closer and imagine what lies ahead.
With a unified identity now in place, Cartovia operates under a single global brand. The shift streamlines its presence across markets and strengthens recognition among travellers worldwide. The system gives the team a flexible foundation for storytelling, merchandising, and digital growth while preserving the deeper idea at the heart of the brand.
