New tourism logo ‘looks like home’

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This article was published 10/04/2019 (2550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A welcoming new city slogan paired with a colourful logo has proven to be a hit among Brandonites.

“Brandon brings you back,” the city’s new tourism slogan, appears to have struck a chord with people.

The culmination of a year’s work, the city debuted their new colourful logo and tagline during an evening launch at the Dome Building on Monday.

Brandon Riverbank Inc.’s general manager James Montgomery said he was pleased with the new logo and slogan, calling it a way to re-energize the city.

“I think it’s attractive; it’s vibrant,” Montgomery said. “It really captures the essence of what our city has to offer.”

He has met countless visitors to Brandon, many of whom he said express a wish to one day return — a sentiment captured by the new slogan.

The effort was paid for by Travel Manitoba’s place branding program. The initiative works with destinations across the province to support the development of a brand. After the new brand is debuted, the community takes over the show.

Brandon is the ninth community Travel Manitoba has worked with.

The design was a community-driven collaboration between Travel Manitoba, Brandon First, Brandon Tourism and Economic Development Brandon, among others.

“It was time for a rebrand,” Montgomery said. “This is for the whole city to celebrate and hopefully use as a marketing tool and as a selling feature for this great city.”

The new logo and slogan will be incorporated into the new Brandon Tourism website and social media.

Part of the intent behind the logo and slogan is to encourage different organizations in the community to adopt and use it, City of Brandon director of economic development Sandy Trudel told The Brandon Sun at the unveiling on Monday.

Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba general manager Ron Kristjansson knows first-hand how unique local events bring people into the city each year.

He has seen people return to Brandon for multiple generations to attend the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.

The faces he sees each year are living embodiments of the experience of “Brandon brings you back,” he said.

As the general manager for an event production business that has been around as long as the city, talking about people coming back is something that the exhibition embraces.

“I think it fits to a lot of the events, to a lot of things that happen in Brandon,” Kristjansson said. “It’s a tradition and something that Brandon is really proud of.”

The reveal of the new logo and slogan was especially meaningful because it took place at the Dome Building, he said. The recently-renovated building is a pillar that showcases how the city brings things back and celebrates its history.

The new slogan is a welcoming catch phrase and encouraging move forward for the city, Kristjansson said, adding; “Come back and see what we’re doing.”

The Brandon Sun conducted an informal poll at Shoppers Mall on Monday to find out how Brandonites feel about the rebranding initiative. The slogan proved popular, with none of the respondents able to remember the previous catch phrase, “You belong in Brandon.”

Despite the overwhelming support given to the new logo and slogan, respondent Grace Godmaire said she expects some people will still be unhappy.

“I’m sure some will complain,” she said.

She wants to stay positive and focus on the great colours and the welcoming words captured by the new brand.

As a person who grew up in the city and moved back later in life, she said “Brandon brings you back” feels especially fitting.

“You come back to where you grow up.”

Marilyn Leflar agreed with these sentiments, saying, “It looks like home.”

» ckemp@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp