I received more information from our staff on City’s new logos and taglines that I posted yesterday. Based on the comments idFive received from the Council, they changed the tagline of the last brand concept to “A smart place to live” from “College Park, Maryland”. Also the very first concept has been removed from the list, as this did not receive enough support from the council. Staff also sent me the reasons why idFive selected three brand concepts. Please see them below.
Brand concept 1: Intelligence and Nature.
Tagline: “Smart, Naturally”
Smart, Naturally
This position is designed to attract families and businesses that are looking for a “retreat” from the costs, crime, confusion and congestion of the DC area. In place of those four “C’s,” College Park offers a healthier, smarter, more sustainable option.
Support Points:
• College Park features park-like settings, including the University, lake, trails, and more.
• College Park offers relative peace, compared to more urban regions in the DC metropolitan area
• College Park is affordable compared to areas in the DC suburbs and Montgomery County.
• College Park offers an intellectually stimulating, culturally diverse environment thanks to not only UMD but also the intelligent residents and emerging entertainment scene.
The People Speak:
When asked to describe the City, what do you say?
• “It’s a place with good restaurants, good hotels, good history, the university has a major draw – from the angle of tourism infrastructure.” – Non-profit organizational leader within College Park
• “Small town feel, neighbors, deer in the back yard, five miles away from DC.” – A College Park resident
What are attributes that describe the personality of the City?
• “Easy to be outside in College Park.” – A College Park resident
• “The dads go play football at the park.” – A College Park councilmember
• “We’re a community that cares about environmental issues – trying to be a leader in going green. It’s a value of the residents and city.” – A College Park councilmember
What are the City’s best-kept secrets?
• “Golf course – twilight specials.” – A member of the business community
• “Nice bike paths.” – A member of the business community
• “Lake Artemesia – walking, fishing, etc.” – A member of the business community
• “There’s even a city-run composting area.” – A Maryland state representative
Twitter provides the ideal platform to get an idea out in as few words as possible. If you were to Tweet about College Park, what might you say?
• “Have you seen the lake? #beautifulCP” – A brand facilitation participant
• Let’s bike around the lake and stop at the Airport Museum.” – A brand facilitation participant
• “World’s oldest airport, two golf courses, the U of M, miles of biking trails. Come explore College Park.” – A brand facilitation participant
Brand Concept 2: Opportunity and Family Values.
Tagline: “Small City, Big Possibilities”
Small City, Big possibilities
This position is aimed at families and smaller businesses, promoting College Park as not only a good value in the economic sense, but in the moral and social sense. A close-knit place with all the familiar qualities of a small town – the good, the challenging, the diverse and the quirky. It’s an invitation to be a part of the college town dynamic, but also to look at the huge opportunities that exist when the University, the residents, the businesses, and the city government come together.
Support Points:
• College Park reflects the lofty values of one of the nation’s top public universities.
• College Park reflects the values of solid neighborhoods with friendly, helpful neighbors.
• College Park offers safe, affordable housing – a far cry from DC – but an easy commute to it.
• College Park offers an active, engaged local government – it is an incorporated municipality (many other areas of MD are not, such as Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Columbia).
The People Speak:
When asked to describe the City, what do you say?
• “Small town feel, neighbors, deer in the back yard, 5 miles away from DC.” – A College Park resident
• “People bond.” – A College Park resident
What are attributes that describe the personality of the City?
• “Range in economic levels” – A member of the business community
• “Loyal to the town (students that come back and get together and support the town).” – A member of the business community
• “Friendly, easy going, not uptight – humble, easy to please.” – A member of the business community
• “In the fall, the dads go play football at the park.” – A College Park councilmember
What are the City’s best-kept secrets?
• “Lake Artemesia – walking, fishing, etc.” – A member of the business community
• “Every neighborhood is a secret. People that live here want to stay here. Roots. My house was built in 1888 by a cousin.” – A College Park resident
• “Convenient Metro access.” – A College Park councilmember
• “Real estate that can be developed.” – A College Park councilmember
Twitter provides the ideal platform to get an idea out in as few words as possible. If you were to Tweet about College Park, what might you say?
• “You can do it all in College Park – live, work, learn and play.” – A brand facilitation participant
• “An affordable community in the middle of everything.” – A brand facilitation participant
• “Raising a family? Bloomberg rates CP best place to raise kids.” – A brand facilitation participant
• “Taking the Metro to work; no more traffic #save money be smart College Park.” – A brand facilitation participant
Brand Concept 3: Access and Brain Power
Tagline: “A Smart Place to Live”
A smart place to live
With an eye toward attracting affluent young professionals and families, UMD employees, DC/Baltimore commuters, and those looking for the “college town experience,” this position focuses on the inherent “smartness” of College Park on a number of levels while framing it with another key benefit: being roughly five miles from the city limits of Washington, DC.
Support Points:
• College Park is “smart” because it is affordable while offering transit access to amenities and jobs in both DC and Baltimore.
• College Park is “smart” because so many smart people live there (at UMD and outside of it).
• College Park is “smart” because of the gains happening in the educational system.
• College Park is “smart” as in “fashionable,” because of its youthful swagger.
• College Park is “smart” because of its sustainable community and focus on smart growth
The People Speak:
When asked to describe the City, what do you say?
• “College Park is highly educated.” – A member of the business community
• “We are a city with a college in it. The university is no longer the defining element. People moved here because of the university. Then they moved here because it was affordable. And soon they will move here because it is convenient to DC.” – A College Park resident
• “It’s a town that has unrealized potential. It could be a thriving college town…Using the university as our selling point will help attract residents and businesses.” – A College Park councilmember
What are attributes that describe the personality of the City?
• “Academics are unifying; we are in a college town.” – An organization leader
• “It’s young. There’s energy. People want to have fun.” – A member of the business community
What are the City’s best-kept secrets?
• “The Trolley Trail. People can ride bikes from DC to College Park.” – An organization leader
• “It offers convenient Metro access.” – A College Park councilmember
• “There are eclectic, intellectual people doing different things.” – A College Park resident
Twitter provides the ideal platform to get an idea out in as few words as possible. If you were to Tweet about College Park, what might you say?
• “Where education and jobs come together.” – A brand facilitation participant
• “Where Ph.D.s are as welcome as football.” – A brand facilitation participant
• “One stop to both the Orioles and Nationals.” – A brand facilitation participant
• “Under Armour, Google, and the Muppets. What will you create in College Park that will change the world?” – A brand facilitation participant
• “Great college town with a small town feel in an urban setting – close to the Nation’s Capital; home of Maryland’s flagship campus @College Park” – A brand facilitation participant
Ace
• “We are a city with a college in it. The university is no longer the defining element. People moved here because of the university. Then they moved here because it was affordable. And soon they will move here because it is convenient to DC.” – A College Park resident
I couldn’t disagree more that the university is not a defining element. Last I checked, this is still COLLEGE Park, not South Langley Park.
The University and all it entails are a major tool this city and Prince George’s County don’t leverage nearly enough. Yes, College Park is close to D.C., but that’s an advantage, not a true trait of this municipality. If you think like suburb, you’ll keep getting the same results. Fact is, College Park is a massive economic center for the entire state and that is reason enough to market this city aggressively as a great place to live and a place footsteps away from one of the world’s truly great universities. The fact is, leveraging the university as part of College Park’s identity is a major underexploited trait in marketing and branding for this city. I still believe the slogans offered up in this study are awful, but the third logo is still lightyears better than the first two. “Smart, Naturally” says nothing to me. And “Small City … Big Possibilities” emphasizes all the things that College Park hasn’t yet accomplished. We have plenty to hang our hat on, and a lot of that means being more thoughtful about leveraging our fortunate geographic connection to the University of Maryland and the vital role College Park plays as an engine for economic growth and academic achievement for the entire state of Maryland.
adelphi_sky
I agree that the slogans are lame and up for ridicule. How about something like, “College Park – Maryland Pride” ?
DAK4Blizzard
I agree with Ace. College Park is anchored by UMD. The first time I visited College Park was because of the University, and the reason I lived here for years is because of the University. However, the city also has neighborhoods and an environment that are not completely dominated by the University.
That said, I would choose the second logo above, because it conveys a balance between the University and the city residents. But I think adelphi_sky’s suggested slogan, “Maryland Pride,” is better than “Small City, Big possibilities.”