Councillors mull over new brand

Black Diamond town councillors say some changes are needed before they're prepared to give the green light for a new brand for the town.

A heart-shaped logo with sections showing different aspects of the community and the tagline “The heART of the Foothills” are part of a proposed new brand unveiled at town council's Nov. 2 meeting by Quinn Page, Black Diamond economic development and events coordinator.

Some on council expressed support, but others said more work needs to be done.

“A lot of effort was put into it with a lot of discussion and critiquing,” said mayor Glen Fagan. “The branding was presented at the economic development committee meeting with great reviews. I find it way more intriguing than the emblem we have today.”

Black Diamond's existing logo depicts two diamonds beside each other next to an image of the sun, foothills and mountains. The Town's current slogan is “Get diamondized.”

Page worked with a consultant to gather input from residents, merchants and visitors via an 18-question online survey completed by 199 people, three-question paper survey completed by 70 people, face-to-face interviews with 10 community champions and a community engagement session to create the brand. The cost of the consultant was covered by the Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education grant.

The proposed heart-shaped logo depicts images of a bird and mountains, paintbrushes, sun and solar, grass, leaves, a guitar, cow, pick ax and the words “Town of Black Diamond” in the centre.

“It's a culmination of impressions, experiences and perceptions of what people and visitors love about Black Diamond,” said Page. “There was a strong element of art, culture and nature.”

Coun. Judy Thomson said she likes the logo, but suggested the centre be more diamond shaped. She added that she finds the tagline dull.

Coun. Jackie Stickel also isn't fond of the tagline.

“I don't disagree that Black Diamond is the heart of the Foothills,” she said. “I don't know that it sells anything, other than you can come from all over and we're in the middle.”

Stickel said she likes the logo, but suggested it may be too detailed for a pin.

Page responded that there will be different versions of the logo created to suit different purposes.

Once approved, Page said the cost to roll out a new brand is estimated at $24,706 for promotional items, signs, banners, brochures, updating the website and to create an economic development plan.

These promotional items are part of the ongoing budgeted expenses within the economic development department to promote the town, and will not be an additional cost to taxpayers, she said.

Coun. Brian Marconi said before council approves a new brand, the Town should get public input.

“I don't think hanging our hats on 199 responses on a two-question survey is enough to say, “This is the direction we want to go,'” he said. “When there is a corporate re-identification there is usually focus groups to make sure you get it right the first time rather than doing it several times. I think more research needs to go into it.”

Like Thomson and Stickel, Marconi also isn't fond of the tagline.

Looking at the results of the survey, he said words like discover, explore and experience jumped out at him.

“Those three words are very compelling and they are action oriented,” he said. “To me that means more than the heart of the Foothills because it doesn't have any meaning as it stands right now.”

As for the logo, Marconi feels more work is needed.

“There's a lot of elements in that logo,” he said. “Maybe we can condense on some elements and focus on the things that make sense according to the survey.”

Coun. Mike Ross also feels the logo and tagline need work.

“I don't like the stylized heart,” he said of the logo. “The perimeter should be a diamond.”

Ross said he doesn't like the tagline at all.

“We've been known as the heart of the Cowboy Trail for years and it hasn't done a damn thing for us, so being the heart of the Foothills ain't going to change nothing,” he said. “The tagline doesn't grab your imagination.”

Ross also believes the proposed brand should go to the public before council makes a decision.

“That is going to become the corporate image of the Town of Black Diamond whether you like it or not,” he said. “I suggest you be very careful.”

The Town has posted a survey on its website at town.blackdiamond.ab.ca to collect feedback from the community, as well as on Facebook. The responses will be brought back to council at its Dec. 7 meeting.