City Gets Brand, Logo

UNVEILING MARKS END OF COMMUNITY WORKSHOP PROJECT

Melissa Thoma speaks at a media luncheon Tuesday at the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce about the features she and her husband Martin Thoma incorporated into the new logo for the Rogers. The firm of ThomaThoma began working on the logo and its tagline “Rogers, Arkansas — Where Possible Lives” in early March.
Melissa Thoma speaks at a media luncheon Tuesday at the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce about the features she and her husband Martin Thoma incorporated into the new logo for the Rogers. The firm of ThomaThoma began working on the logo and its tagline “Rogers, Arkansas — Where Possible Lives” in early March.

— “Rogers, Where Possible Lives” is how the city will be branded to attract more businesses, tourists and families.

The logo was unveiled Tuesday following months of meetings, discussions and workshops.

The “O” in Rogers features an open door as part of the letter representing the welcome offered to everyone and all things are possible here, said Melissa Thoma, one-half of the husband and wife ThomaThoma agency in Little Rock.

photo

City of Roger new brand logo.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with the new logo,” said Greg Spragg, with Lewis & Clark Outfitters, one of 40 residents who met from March to July to define what Rogers represents.

“The phrase ‘Where Possible Lives’ encapsulates many of the things we talked about during the workshops. It doesn’t just address business or tourism or people who might want to move here; it fits those categories and so much more,” Spragg said.

David Faulkner, general manager of Pinnacle Hills Promenade and another participant in the branding process, said the hours of meetings were worth the effort.

“We had people in the group with some very strong opinions. Some wanted a logo to attract business, others wanted to make Rogers a tourist destination and others wanted something else. It was clear to me we weren’t going to please everybody,” Faulkner said. “But I have to say, this logo really does get it all. It’s simple but powerful.”

The logo with the name Rogers, the open door and the phrase makes Rogers the epicenter of Northwest Arkansas, Faulkner said.

“It’s important that people learn what’s behind the logo. It’s the people, the government and businesses working together that continue to make Rogers the best place to live, work and play,” Faulkner said.

“More hard work is needed” now that there is a new logo, said Allyson Twiggs Dyer, director of the Rogers Convention and Visitors Bureau. “To make this logo work, everyone from the city government, businesses and residents must know, understand and support what the logo represents.”

ThomaThoma was hired by the convention bureau to lead the workshops and produce the logo, Dyer said. The Advertising and Promotion Commission, which collects a 2 percent hotel tax, paid for the $60,000 project.

TIMELINE

Branding Rogers

• March: Residents meet in a workshop to identify the personality of Rogers.

• April/May: ThomaThoma representatives meet with Rogers Convention and Visitors Bureau officials to develop a strategy and direction. Residents respond to an online survey.

• June/July: A second workshop is held to refine overall messaging.

• August/September: Development of a verbal and visual community brand begins.

• October: Rogers brand unveiled.

Source: Staff Report

“It may sound like a lot of money, but it really isn’t. ThomaThoma representatives spent several hours leading the workshops and scores of hours compiling information and designing the logo,” Dyer said.

The logo is available for any business to use in advertising, correspondence or on letterheads.

“We want everybody using the logo so not only Rogers residents understand, but everybody in the state understands Rogers is ‘Where Possible Lives,’” Dyer said.

Mayor Greg Hines said city officials will incorporate the logo as part of correspondence.

The agency took the information gathered at the meetings and through a phone survey earlier this year to create the logo.

“It was the people who participated in the branding meeting that did the hard work,” Martin Thoma said. “The people, from all walks of life that participated in the sessions, were engaged in the process. They defined Rogers. They came up with the vision of what Rogers represents.”

Upcoming Events