Brand Identity And Campaign For Queens Tourism Council
Queens turned the Unisphere into a soccer ball—on purpose.
Pentagram created a new visual identity and promotional campaign for the Queens Tourism Council, positioning Queens as the 'World’s Borough.' Timed with the FIFA World Cup, the campaign celebrates the borough’s cultural diversity through a dynamic identity centered on the Unisphere reimagined as a soccer ball and a custom geometric typeface inspired by local landmarks.
Set in Einsteinway
Insights
- The main design move was substitution: Pentagram reimagined the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park as a soccer ball, linking the 1964 New York World’s Fair landmark to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- The campaign doubles down on Queens’ long-held “World’s Borough” identity, a phrase added to “Welcome to Queens” signs in 2014 after Borough President Melinda Katz cited residents from more than 120 countries speaking more than 135 languages.
- Pentagram built a custom geometric typeface called Einsteinway, based on Milton Glaser’s Einstein and named as a pun on Steinway Street in Astoria; its letterforms were designed to echo the Unisphere’s geometry.
- The system was designed for real-world rollout through Queens.NYC and @itsinqueens, with content aimed at World Cup watch parties and neighborhood exploration.
- Credit goes to Pentagram’s New York office, partner Paula Scher, and project team Kirstin Rocke-Huber, Bruno Bergallo, and Olivia Ray for turning local landmarks and typography into a cohesive tourism campaign.
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