City may pay for new image

Leaders considers spending $88,000 on logo and catchphrase

By John Davis
Published Tuesday, May 27, 2008

NORTH PORT — Tired of being overshadowed by more established areas, the city once known as North Port Charlotte is looking for a way to distinguish itself.

After all, city leaders say, there are more than 50,000 people here now, meaning North Port's population rivals a certain city to the north that has long anchored the region.

"When I travel, I tell people I'm from North Port, Florida, and they say, 'Where?'" said Commissioner Fred Tower.

Besides Sarasota, neighboring Port Charlotte, Englewood, Punta Gorda, Venice and Bradenton can all claim more defining characteristics than North Port, including history, identifiable downtowns, waterfronts and cultural amenities.

So this week city leaders will consider paying a Tennessee image company $88,000 to "brand" North Port, including giving the city a distinctive logo and catchphrase.

The closest thing North Port now has to a slogan is the internally generated "Safe, Clean, Pretty, Fun," used as shorthand for the day-to-day goal of city government. It graces documents such as the city budget.

"I'm not really thrilled about 'Safe, Clean, Pretty, Fun,'" said Commissioner Vanessa Carusone. "I don't think the citizens would necessarily agree with that."

But Carusone is not sure the city should give North Star Destination Strategies nearly $90,000 for an image makeover amid a brutal economic downturn.

City Manager Steve Crowell said the money will buy more than a slogan.

"It is more than a logo and 'Virgina is for Lovers' statement," he said. "It's really talking about how we want to market ourselves." More here.