Currently, the City of Guelph is undergoing a redesign of it’s logo. It is expected to be launched on Monday December 3. This is round two of a process that saw two very mediocre designs universally rejected by the public.
Dictionary.com states: Brand; noun, a trademark or distinctive name identifying a product or a manufacturer. Logo; noun, a graphic representation or symbol of a company name, trademark, abbreviation, etc., often uniquely designed for ready recognition.
Although they are inextricably linked, a brand and a logo are two distinct entities. A brand is what you are selling and a logo is how you present it.
What is Guelph selling to the world? Are we a bedroom community for the larger communities of Kitchener/Waterloo and Toronto. No. Surprisingly 71% of Guelph residents live and work within Guelph.
Are we a manufacturing or natural resource town? Although Guelph does have a significant manufacturing base, faced with a strong loonie and cheap overseas labour pool, this is becoming a very difficult if not impossible case to sell.
Guelph does not have a significant natural resource inventory.
What is rapidly rising as Guelph’s strength is our agri-food industry.
The Guelph Partnership for Innovation (GPI) has taken a lead role in this community’s identification with a creative approach:
Guelph (Gwelf): Noun
1. A globally recognized centre for agriculture, food and life sciences with a unique capacity for innovation and commercialization.
2. A one stop, all-inclusive location for your business.
Origin Ontario, Canada
Lat 43′ 32′ 38″ N Long 80′ 14′ 52″ ….the place to be
The GPI has identified Guelph as in the top ten cities in the world for agri-food technologies. Their goal is for Guelph to be number one.
Is this a pie in the sky dream? Well maybe, but Guelph does have a cluster of approximately 75 businesses that are directly or indirectly involved with afri-food. This includes: the University of Guelph, Cargill, Gay Lea, Guelph Food Technology Centre, Guelph Turfgrass Institute, MaRS Landing, McNeil Consumer, Ontario Agricultural College, OMAFRA and Semex to name a few.
This could be Guelph’s brand. Ian