Springdale Chamber reveals new community logo, public art series
by January 22, 2016 5:15 pm 525 views
The new logo for Springdale was announced Friday (Jan. 22) during the 94th annual Springdale Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Logo components will be incorporated by the chamber, Springdale Public Schools and the City.
A new tagline for Springdale will soon be “Springdale … We’re Making it Happen” and there will be a new logo to reflect this idea. The new citywide promo plan was unveiled Friday (Jan. 22) at the 94th annual Springdale Chamber of Commerce meeting.
The new branding represents the entire Springdale community and the chamber, city and schools will incorporate pieces of the branding into their individual entity’s identity, several officials said. The Chamber will work to educate the public about the new logo this year and then it will be slowly implemented throughout the community, said Springdale Chamber President Perry Webb.
“Springdale has great pride in the strong work ethic of its people and businesses,” he said. “We’ve experienced a remarkable number of positive developments over the past three years and the momentum in Springdale is something you can actually feel. We knew it was time to update our community’s image. We believe this new logo perfectly captures who we are as a city.”
Mayor Doug Sprouse said the new brand represents the reinvigorated spirit in Springdale.
“There’s a new day dawning in Springdale,” he said. “Our city is unique within our region and state. I believe this new logo captures how we came to be who we are today. I particularly like the tagline. All my life, I’ve heard people say Springdale knows how to get things done. What better way to celebrate that fact than to proclaim we’re making it happen in Springdale.”
Throughout the event successes such as the ongoing revitalization of downtown, innovative industries, and strong educational opportunities were lauded as some of the many things “going right” with Springdale.
SPRINGDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL
Rick Schaeffer, communications director for Springdale Public Schools, also said the new branding reflected Springdale and said the school district would research the best way to incorporate components in the district’s branding. Each Springdale entity will maintain their own identity but use elements of the new branding to indicate they are part of the overall Springdale community, he added.
Schaeffer said he would not know how much the rebranding will cost until plans are developed. Webb said it was not fully determined where funds will come from for each entity to rebrand as sponsors and other funding could come available. He said the Chamber has spent about $150,000 so far in the overall rebranding process.
The three-color “Crossroads” logo and tagline are a result of more than a year’s worth of research and community input, according to a Chamber press release. “The tagline “Springdale … We’re Making It Happen” capitalizes upon the city’s reputation as a community that gets things done,” according to the release. CJRW, the state’s largest and oldest advertising and public relations firm, created the new mark and brand.
Research and feedback from hundreds of residents and business leaders were distilled into four key elements respondents indicated help make Springdale unique: water, makers, culture and ingenuity. According to the press release: “Water is an integral part of the city’s past, present and future. Springdale was first settled along the banks of Spring Creek which today is a key component of the Razorback Regional Greenway that cuts through the heart of the city and plans for exciting new downtown development. Beaver Dam and Beaver Lake were made possible by the personal investment of visionary Springdale leaders like Joe Steel. This element is represented in the new logo by its blue palette and lines flowing through the new mark.
“The city’s diverse economy is driven by makers: creators, builders, fabricators and manufacturers. No matter the business, Springdale is recognized as the region’s workplace, where hard work is part of the community’s fabric. This element is seen in the new mark by a pattern of crossing lines, symbolizing a framework, quilt or other hand-woven craft.
“A diverse community, culture is the third component of the new logo and brand. Home to people of different backgrounds, ethnicities and all walks of life, Springdale is a true representation of the American melting pot. The intersection of lines at the logo’s center celebrates this diversity and represents the tapestry of different people and cultures.
“From revolutionizing the poultry industry, nanotechnology or developing new ways to educate its young minds, ingenuity is an integral part of Springdale’s heritage and future and comprises the theme of the new brand. The city is proud of its innovation and inventiveness – unparalleled by most communities.
Springdale’s position at the center of Northwest Arkansas has been represented in a variety of ways throughout the years in the city’s logos and taglines. The new mark accomplishes this through the intersection of lines at its center – a nod to Springdale being located at the intersection of the region’s two major highways.”
ART SERIES, JOHN TYSON HONOR
Chamber leaders also announced the Best of Springdale Chamber Art Series. The Chamber commissioned artist Tyler Arnold to paint three pieces of art in 2016, all of which will have the originals hanging in the Chamber office. Prints will be available for each with two main sizes available. The limited series of 100 prints will be produced on high-quality, fine art white bright white cotton archival paper with pigmented inks and a 2-inch border to allow for the artist’s signature and unique print number.
Webb said all proceeds from the sales will go back into commissioning more paintings beyond the original three painting contract. He declined to say the contract amount for the first three paintings.
The first painting includes the popular Tyson Foods truck, which is now housed in the Tyson Foods Discovery Center, as well as the new building Tyson Foods is constructing in downtown Springdale.
Another component of the luncheon was naming the annual Civic Service Award. John Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods, received the 2016 award. He joins 46 other recipients, including his father, Don Tyson, who was named the Civic Service Honoree in 1991.
A Springdale native, Tyson and his family were honored for their contributions to the city including the family name on two of the city’s school buildings, the city’s most popular park, as well as contributions to The Jones Center, healthcare and arts, according to the press release. The video announcing Tyson’s selection included footage of his announcement Oct. 8 on Emma Avenue of Tyson Foods’ commitment to new construction in Downtown Springdale and the company’s plans to bring 300 jobs to the city center.
Participants in the luncheon also heard from Karen Minkel, the Home Region Program Director for the Walton Family Foundation, about the Foundation’s ongoing plans to create $302 million in programming and other amenities in Northwest Arkansas.