County Commission | The Magazine October 2018 | Page 25

FROM THE COVER
Widespread adoption of the
new brand has been a signature
achievement. The logo and tagline
have been implemented by the
county commission, county
departments, six municipalities, the
countywide development authority,
two public school systems, a
chamber of commerce, the county
library and a pair of fire and water
districts.
The county commission’s
key partners on the branding
initiative have been the Chambers
County Development Authority,
PowerSouth Energy Cooperative
and the Greater Valley Area
Chamber of Commerce. A
communications firm retained to
develop the new brand reported to a
six-member steering committee.
The development authority
covered the cost of customizing
the brand for each additional
jurisdiction or organization, but
each brand partner has been
responsible for updating signage,
letterhead, vehicle graphics and
other items.
The biggest initial challenge
was getting buy-in from others
in the community, and it was
only overcome through numerous
personal meetings. Despite the
apparent success, county leaders
said the sales pitch is ongoing
because of election turnover and
personnel changes among the brand
partners.
“Our community branding
has given us a way to talk about
our community’s resiliency,” the
nomination stated. “It helps us
stand out from other communities
and has built an extremely strong
sense of pride and self-awareness in
our community.” n
711 East Hobbs Street
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COUNTY COMMISSION | 25