St. Albert's new brand is being cultivated across the city.
From new signage at the city's south entrance to posters encouraging residents to cultivate different aspects of themselves, the city's branding leadership team is growing the city's "Cultivate Life" brand to become an everyday part of St. Albert life.
The new brand was unveiled in February after a two-year study, calling St. Albert the "Botanical Arts" capital of Alberta. Since then, city property and merchandise has been given the new logo and slogan to promote the brand. In June, council agreed to spend $8,000 in the short-term to update the city's branding.
Mayor Nolan Crouse, who said he supports the new slogan and is part of the branding leadership team, believes it will bring new economic opportunities to the city and draw business and tourists to the area. He said the issue of economic development is one he's worked on since he was first elected as a councillor in 2004, and he sees the new brand as one more step in that direction.
"You're doing it because you want to have your reputation, which is so solid, bring business into this city and bring tourism into this city," he said. "Everything we do should be about bringing business into this city and bringing tourism dollars into this city."
In recent council meetings, Crouse has asked city administration if it was possible to add the brand to new projects, such as the solid waste collection bins scheduled for 2011.
Larry Horncastle, economic development and tourism director, said new materials brought into the city will feature the new branding, while items with the Sturgeon River-inspired logo will be used until they need replacing.
"We're being very cautious not to replace something that still has some shelf life to it," he said.
Make it your own
Joan Barber, tourism development co-ordinator for the city, said full implementation of the brand would take a couple of years as funding and manpower is available. She believes around 50 per cent of the recommendations will be completed by the end of this year, with the hope that the other half will be completed next year.
"I think we're making progress pretty much on target to what city council would expect," said Barber.
Branding leadership team leader Rob LeLacheur said the branding roll out would move up a step. A series of new promotional posters featuring the "Cultivate Life" slogan will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
"For Rock'n August, we have a great poster that says 'Cultivate the rocker in you,'" he said. "You can take this brand, take that idea, and make it your own."
LeLacheur said work on making the city fit the botanical arts idea, including flower barrels around the city and a beautification fund for downtown businesses, also serves as a large step in pushing the brand. He added that keeping the brand front and centre of the city's activities is the best way to ensure St. Albert prospers.
"It requires a consistent push to keep it in the forefront."
