OP-ED: BRANDING A CITY

This is my latest op-ed column to be published in our local paper. In short, a branding firm decided that "The Right Size" would be our town's new moniker-- slaying ensues, lol...

Size Doesn't Matter

Greenwood's residents and businesses were no doubt excited to hear of a recent task force organized to "brand" the city. The brand is to "be conveyed in the signage throughout Greenwood and on literature and marketing material."

The branding-consulting firm of Arnett Muldrow and Associates was hired to achieve this goal, gathering feedback from the community, ultimately christening Greenwood with their new slogan:

"Greenwood - The Right Size"

Oh, my.

Three of seven proposed color logos and slogans adorning the morning paper had me doing a double-take. Was I being filmed by one of those spoof shows, with a camera in the bushes, waiting for my reaction?

First was "Greenwood - THE RIGHT SIZE", with "RIGHT" in glowing, bold emerald. The first thing that came to mind was the cliche', yet still funny, "Size doesn't matter." Looking at the word "RIGHT", it just reeked of a political ad: we're right, not on the left, not in between, this town knows its political orientation.

The next logo was "Uptown Greenwood - IT'S RIGHT UPTOWN." I know, I just take Grace Street and I'm right there. Oh, "RIGHT", as in "correct", or "in order". I agree, Uptown is in order, but outsiders would expect that -- a standard is something you adhere to, not brag about. Or did they mean that most of the business owners are Republicans?

The third one is "THE EMERALD TRIANGLE," which is eerie, in all capitals like that, and an elongated triangle that looks like a logo for a new hybrid vehicle. I can't help but associate anything with "triangle" in the name with the "Bermuda Triangle". To me it says "enter and you may never leave," which in itself is a great moniker for a city, unless you're planning a quick visit.

It's like a movie trailer: Grandma went shopping in Greenwood for the day, yet unbeknownst to her, between Thayer's and The Bootery, there exists a portal to the unknown, a place between space and time -- "THE EMERALD TRIANGLE."

I don't believe that one-line slogans work for any city, can you name one off the top of your head? Did you know that the City of Columbia, S.C., has the motto of "One Mission, One Message, One Columbia"? How about Charleston's "Where History Lives"?

Not saying that Greenwood should give up the idea of a label for the area with one dramatic line that will pull in new businesses, residents, and customers; that should be the goal of every community in the nation. Cities have to compete, states do, look at "Virgina is for Lovers," my favorite of all slogans.

After moving here last year, I took a visiting uncle to a local jewelry store because he wanted to buy an emerald ring. We met with local jeweler, Jeff, who showed us a velvet-lined case full of beautiful, loose gems. A discussion ensued about the stones, origins, and why the sign into Greenwood proclaimed it to be "The Emerald City".

He replied that it might have something to do with irish sailors that settled here, Ireland being the "Emerald Isle." I discarded that notion, not because it wasn't true, but I wanted to believe that it was dubbed so because of its beautiful green hues on surrounding golf courses, thick foliage growing in my backyard, and maybe that deep below the city there was an undiscovered vein of glowing, vitreous emeralds, waiting to be discovered.

Meanwhile, my uncle had a gold band on his finger, green gem propped atop, admiring it.

"Looks just the right size, Uncle Tom," I said.

"Size doesn't matter," he quipped.