The last time we heard a similar battle cry, Wellington North unveiled a new slogan at entrance ways into Mount Forest.
The familiar “high, happy and healthy” was replaced with “Simply explore”. Citizens mobilized to ensure the old slogan, which honours its elevation at 1,410 feet above sea level, remained. The town is one of the highest points in this part of Ontario.
Years back, the Ontario Liberals pulled a similar move, updating the simplistic trillium logo into a jagged edged spectacle, more in keeping with Liberal marketing material at the time. Thankfully, Premier Ford’s crew changed it back to something plainer and more appealing.
As with anything graphic or artistic, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.
Two weeks ago the Town of Erin announced efforts to rebrand its logo. In relatively swift fashion a firm was hired to design a new logo and develop a branding plan. Even quicker, a logo was settled on that has residents – close to 700 signatures to date – asking for the choice to be reconsidered.
In the absence of communication with town officials and the company involved after outreach from our reporters, one is left to guess the rush was related to the water tower erection. It has already been painted with the new muddy green hue set to replace Erin’s traditional bright Irish green.
The famous clover leaf, known to generations of county folk as Erin’s symbol, has been dashed. It has been replaced by a more complicated “leaflet” of mixed description that a Google search quickly identified as in use elsewhere.
And the font – well, it is less elegant than it was before.
We have also heard complaints about the cost. The $20,000 price tag is a lot of money.
However, in a branding exercise – if that is in fact what the town purchased – it isn’t an outrageous number. But it is emblematic.
After this initial investment, the real costs will mount.
Entrance signs, vehicle graphics, business cards, signage at township facilities, clothing and promotional items – this new spending adds up at a time when taxpayers are struggling already.
With all the other heavy issues Erin council faces, it is curious that a vanity project like this made it to the top of their priority list.
