Jacksonville, IL, is a city full of stories waiting to be told. Located mere minutes from Abraham Lincoln’s hometown of Springfield, the historic charm and legendary stories of this small, Midwestern city stand watch over its expansive town square, a symbol of both the stories that shaped this community and those still being written today. As locally owned boutiques and eateries make their home in Jacksonville, the city is positioned as having both a monumental past and an up-and-coming future.
In 2021, the Jacksonville Area CVB felt its brand was in need of modernization, having grown stale and lacking any sense of unification with other municipal entities, including the city government, Jacksonville Main Street, the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation. The Jacksonville Area CVB approached McDaniels Marketing to complete a rebrand to unify all five entities and promote the city as a destination to visit, live and work.
Uncover the Possibilities
Working closely with the Jacksonville Area CVB and other local stakeholders, McDaniels Marketing created a strong, unified brand to honor the city’s past, embrace its future and promote the city as a destination for both tourism and life. The McD team embarked on a months-long research process that included focus group tests and in-person visits to identify the strengths and weaknesses in the city’s branding, as well as opportunities that had not yet been realized.
The new brand family revolves around a central logo incorporating numerous visual elements representing various traits that define the city, from font choices reminiscent of a storied history and strong, blue-collar roots to a half-star icon representing the city’s iconic Big Eli Wheel as well as a sunrise shining a light on the opportunities that lie ahead.
The logo also calls out the “IL” in “Jacksonville,” setting it apart from other Jacksonvilles around the country. The tagline, “Uncover the Possibilities,” refers to the stories and adventures just waiting to be discovered by those visiting or making the city their new home. Which brings us to the brand statements — the McD team crafted four distinct brand promise statements describing what Jacksonville promises to new residents, visitors, businesses and even athletic groups.
A Combined Summary of the Four Distinct Brand Promise Statements
New residents will find a resilient, authentic community instilling qualities like conviction, community and pride, encouraging them to forge a new legacy. Visitors and tourists will discover legendary stories they may not yet have heard along with new attractions shaping a bright tomorrow. Businesses will find a community that rallies around its local entrepreneurs, one teeming with activity and potential with a variety of workspaces and development projects perfectly suited to bring economic visions to life. Finally, coaches and teams will find a community that embraces the competitive spirit within us all, featuring state-of-the-art facilities and comfortable lodging — plus plenty to see and do that will keep families around beyond extra innings.
“From what once looked to be a daunting task, McDaniels Marketing was able to guide us through every step of the way to create a brand that really felt like it represented all of us in some way.” — Brittany Henry, Jacksonville Area CVB Executive Director
“McDaniels Marketing guided us through not only the design of the logos, but through every process: initial inspiration, narrowing down the choices, the fine tuning and more!” said Brittany Henry, Executive Director of Jacksonville Area CVB. “When they asked our thoughts on Jacksonville, I was worried we gave them TOO much. How could they take all this information and ideas from our community and make it useful? Thankfully, they were able to take these ideas and create a brand that somehow utilized all that feedback but was simple in its execution. After the brand launch, I have heard all positive feedback from the community and from leaders as well! Now, the familiarity of the brand and logos is really starting to settle in — I see our icon and it feels like home.”
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Let us help you take your marketing strategy to the next level with McD Marketing. Contact Randy McDaniels at rmcdaniels@mcdmarketing.com or call (309) 346-7412 for more information. |