Vancouver begins re-branding effort

by Joe Smith, KGW
kgw.com

VANCOUVER, WA. There maybe two Vancouver's, but Vancouver, Washington is not taking a back seat to anyone.

Fed up with the confusion, an all out effort began last September for Vancouver, USA to find it's own voice.

"We've been pre-occupied telling people what we're not," said Ron Arp. He's been called the brains behind a group of business and civic leaders to brand Vancouver.

"See it, say it and sell it", he said Wednesday before a large group of business owners at the Hilton Hotel in Vancouver.

After ten months of strategies, a new logo and tag line were introduced.

"Land here, live here," said Ginger Metcalf, Executive Director of Identity Clark County.

"We think we came up with the best reasons to even look at this area," she said.

Originally the focus of the campaign was concentrated on Clark County. Over time it expanded to include the entire Portland-Vancouver area.

"I as the Mayor of Vancouver am fully committed to a regional partnership in getting the work out to the rest of the country and around the world about who we are as a region," said Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt.

Where other groups have tried to bridge the gap between the two cities, Vancouver is taking the lead. The Portland Development Commission is taking notice.

"I think they've kick started a conversation in the region that should allow us to expand the branding of the region and make it unified," said Patrick Quinton, with PDC.

A marketing kit was created for businesses to use to help bring new business to the area. The logo, of muted tones of blue is a mountain with a river running through it.

Patrick Hildrenth, a partner with Tribe 2 Studios in Vancouver created it.

"The mountain symbolizes strength, upward momentum,the river has this community aspect between the two states".

Business are asked to pay a licensing fee of $199 to use the marketing material. The fee will be used to support more marketing.