The City of Grand Forks has selected a successful proponent to develop branding for the city.
Of the three applications submitted to the City of Grand Forks, Story & Co. was chosen to create a logo to boost the city’s identity.
The city’s economic development advisory committee (EDAC) hopes that with a new city brand, it will help with the city’s identity within the Boundary and province.
“We were hoping there would be but there wasn’t any local groups,” said Coun. Bob Kendel, adding that there would be public and private consultations.
Coun. Gary Smith added that Story & Co. and another applicant were very close in their scoring.
“We decided on Story and Co based on their extensive portfolio and their experience in community branding,” said Smith. “Story & Co. is going to arrange community meetings to speak with the community: one to speak to EDAC and another to speak to the community to get the pulse of Grand Forks. Once they’ve compiled that information, they’ll move onto the next stage of preparing some deliverables and getting our brand.”
Story & Co. previously worked on the branding for the Boundary Country Regional Chamber of Commerce through Community Futures Boundary.
Matt Thompson, owner of Story & Co., noted that the process for developing a brand for Grand Forks would be similar.
“It won’t be regionally encompassing but it will be working with the community to get feedback through stories from the community, about who they are today and where they want to be tomorrow,” he said. “As a general rule, there are around two or three discussions that take place, and it’s typically a 90-day project.”
He went on to add, “We’re super stoked and pleased to do this but the focus is on the city.”
Since Smith and Kendel will be at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities this week, but they hope to have the first meeting set up for early October.
“We look forward to public input during the meetings,” concluded Smith. “Once the branding is complete, the new logo would be placed into visitor’s guides, along with potential signage on the east and west side of the city.”
The other applicants included Loca-motion and Avant.