ATRA celebrates 25 years with a new and refreshed look

January 6, 2021

Brand identity includes new logo, colors, and font

Colorado Springs – To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the American Trail Running Association (ATRA), the non-profit is evolving its brand identity. Today ATRA unveils a new logo, colors and font on its website and social media accounts.

Founded in Colorado, ATRA has always been a user-driven and grassroots organization with an authentic connection to its core audience of trail runners. As ATRA grows into the next 25 years, the organization wanted to maintain this authenticity while projecting a more professional appearance that resonates with all trail runners in every part of the country.

“ATRA has evolved in many ways over the past 25 years and it was high time to update our logo to reflect the progress we’ve made. We want to encourage and guide new participants towards our sport and thought a fresh and welcoming logo would help towards that goal,” said ATRA’s President, Adam W. Chase.

Logo

ATRA’s new logo leans into its most recognizable asset, the letters A, T, R and A. This simplified version of the “ATRA” logo with block letters is more recognizable in all sizes – especially in a digital context.

Firmly grounded in the earth, the As invoke the mountains where our organization was born. The lower case R represents the explorer in all of us – seeking what is around every bend in the trail. The T represents trail junctions as well as choices in life. Taking the trail less traveled and making choices for positive change for our community.

Finally, the irregular white line bisecting the first A is the profile of Pikes Peak. The highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, at 14,115 feet, this mountain is a prominent reference point across our hometown of Colorado Springs and venue for the historic Pikes Peak Ascent & Marathon.

Color

ATRA’s new purple primary brand color is inspired by “America the Beautiful,” the American patriotic song whose lyrics “purple mountain majesties” were a reference to Pikes Peak. The lyrics were published by Wellesley College professor Katharine Lee Bates when she was 35 years old, the same age as Nancy Hobbs when she founded the American Trail Running Association 25 years ago.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!

Font

The primary font for ATRA’s new brand identity is Regulator Nova. This open and airy font is extremely legible at multiple text sizes. The base of the As and the R are tipped up representing the nimble nature of trail runners while the action-oriented lower case g evokes a compass needle, keeping us pointed in the right direction.

But wait, there’s more!

At ATRA we believe that trail running is a sport that can be practiced anywhere and is for everybody. Therefore throughout 2021 – our 25th Anniversary year – we’ll be introducing complementary versions of the “Pikes Peak Purple” logo as part of a larger ATRA brand system representing diversity in geography, seasons and most importantly, the people who make up the community of trail runners. To learn more, click here.