The Challenge: Imagine a municipality stretching over 200 kilometers, home to approximately 15,000 people; two biomes — the Cerrado and the Amazon; cultural diversity as vibrant as its natural environment, bringing together Indigenous peoples from different ethnic groups, Brazilians from across the country, and a very young population. And, underlying it all, one fundamental question: what unites us? From there, how can we present ourselves to others in a way that generates financial and emotional rewards while strengthening social cohesion? And along which paths can we diversify the municipality’s economy, drawing on its unique qualities and wealth to forge a path of its own — prosperous and inclusive?
Our Solution: To decode the emotional and cultural universe of the people of São Félix do Araguaia, based on what they themselves consider most representative of their territory. From its most evident features — such as the bustle of the Araguaia River or the murici fruit that brings joy during the dry season — to those known mainly by people who experience everyday life there, such as the habit of sitting beneath the shade of mango trees along the waterfront to catch up with friends.
The next step was to distill these images, whether tangible or abstract, into icons that could be applied across a wide range of media, and to illustrate their potential uses in order to inspire all kinds of creative products, signage, urban furniture, and other elements capable of expressing the identity of São Félix. Woven throughout the pages of the iconography, excerpts from major Mato Grosso authors accompany photographs that evoke the territory’s collective imagination. Ultimately, all these sources of inspiration were encapsulated in a place brand.
This is a proprietary methodology developed by Garimpo de Soluções, grounded in an in-depth exploration of the municipality’s historical, social, economic, cultural, and geographical context. The process also involved following the literary work of regional authors, community radio stations, and Instagram profiles; immersing ourselves in the territory through participatory observation, countless conversations, and plenty of walking; and bringing together the insight of a multidisciplinary team with open minds and open hearts. A partnership with Sebrae MT and the Municipality of São Félix do Araguaia.
To explore the publication, developed with the participation of designer Carla Takushi, click here.
