Say “Dallas” to people across the country or around the world, and you’ll still evoke images of Stetson hats and big hair. Visit Dallas—an independent, not-for-profit organization that promotes Dallas as a premier business and leisure travel destination—thought it was time to shake things up.

Today, at a press conference at the AT&T Discovery District in downtown Dallas, the city’s new branding was announced: A Maverick, Can-Do Spirit.

It may not be as pithy as “The Big Apple” or “The Windy City.” But a lot went into the new positioning. Those four-and-a-half words required “extensive research and collaboration between Visit Dallas and city leaders, community stakeholders and residents, resulting in a dynamic and ownable identity that authentically reflects the qualities, personality, and values that make Dallas what it is today and will be in the future,” the organization said.

Part of the campaign for Dallas’ “A Maverick, Can-Do Spirit” branding. [Images: Visit Dallas]

Embracing ‘swagger’ and a ‘can-do’ attitude

A YouTube text intro to a video about the branding offers insight into the thinking behind the line:

“Like no city on earth, Dallas offers up an irresistibly magnetic confidence—a hyper-original can-do, can-be vibe. A collective sense that the walls around what divides us are crumbling, and a new vision of togetherness is emerging into a wide blue North Texas sky. A living, breathing, starry-eyed and whole-hearted belief that the future is boundless, and ours to share. With a round of Margaritas of course.”

‘A clear differentiator’ for ‘a world-class destination’

Visit Dallas’ Craig Davis (left) and Jennifer Walker [Photos: Visit Dallas]

“Dallas has never identified a clear differentiator nor established a unified brand, and research shows that visitors still associate Dallas with cliché Texas stereotypes,” Visit Dallas Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Walker said in a statement. “Our vision was to create a competitive positioning platform that could be adopted citywide to build equity and interest in Dallas as a world-class destination for years to come.”

To mark the new brand’s launch, Visit Dallas’s press conference was attended by “the city’s difference-makers, game-changers, tastemakers, connectors, and visionaries,” the nonprofit said. The branding drew remarks from Dallas Councilmember Gay Donnell Willis (District 13); Jennifer Scripps, CEO of Downtown Dallas, Inc.; and Mary Pat Higgins, President and CEO of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and chairwoman of the Visit Dallas board of directors, as well as other Visit Dallas executive leaders.

“There could not be a more opportune time for this work than the present. There is so much on the horizon for our city—such as the new and expanded Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas and FIFA World Cup ’26, when Dallas will host more matches than any other city,” Councilmember Willis said in a statement. “Now is the moment for Dallas to shine on the world stage. And the work our city has done on this destination brand is a wonderful underscore to Dallas’ ascension as a true global city.”

Part of the campaign for Dallas’ “A Maverick, Can-Do Spirit” branding. [Images: Visit Dallas]

Introducing ‘Can-Doers’

As part of the branding, Visit Dallas sought out “local visionaries and community leaders” who embody the essence of a Maverick, Can-Do Spirit. Portraits of the “Can-Doers,” created by local artists, were unveiled during the press conference. They include:

• Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman, Executive Chef, José
• Daron Babcock, Director of Community Transformation, Stand Together Foundation
• Daisha Board, Founder & Curator, Daisha Board Gallery
• Michelle Carpenter, Executive Chef & Owner, Restaurant Beatrice
• Cynt Marshall, Chief Executive Officer, Dallas Mavericks
• Arike Ogunbowale, Guard (#24), Dallas Wings
• Tim & Terrance Maiden, Co-Founders, Maiden Foundation

“These community leaders and luminaries represent the diversity, dynamism, and swagger that power our destination story,” said Walker. “We’d also like to thank our incredibly talented local artists—Armando Sebastian, Haylee Ryan, Jeremy Biggers, Hatziel Flores, Blake Wright, Michelle Dekkers—for creating astounding portraits inspired by our ‘Can-Doers.’ These works of art will be displayed across Dallas over the coming weeks as a reminder of the can-do energy, pride, welcoming personality and even attitude that sets us apart.”  

‘Big Thought partnership

Also announced at today’s press conference was Visit Dallas’ new partnership with Big Thought, a Dallas-based nonprofit that equips youths in marginalized communities with the skills and tools they need “to imagine and create their best lives and a better world.”

Through the partnership, Visit Dallas said it will donate the net proceeds of “We Do Can-Do” T-shirt sales to Big Thought to help the nonprofit expand its reach and mission.

Rolling branding out to national audiences soon

Visit Dallas said it’s preparing to share the new positioning with “national audiences.” In the meantime, Dallasites are invited to visit the new DallasCanDo.com website to nominate other “Can-Doers” and snag branded apparel to help support Big Thought.

“Now more than ever is an inspiring time to be a Dallasite,” Visit Dallas CEO Craig Davis said in a statement.  “This brand, like this incredibly diverse city, is nothing without the passion, contribution and ‘Can-Do’ spirit of our people. Simply put, this new brand is you, the people of Dallas. Your innovative and bold energy is unmatched in any city on earth.”

Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.