City branding program focuses on past and present
City logo, slogan selected from project that lasted more than a year
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Community perception:
Victoria as a place to live
Detractors: 32.8% (15.4% national average)
Passives: 28.4% (23.8% national average)
Promoters: 38.8% (60.9% national average)
Victoria as a place to visit
Detractors: 41.4% (29.2% national average)
Passives: 29.3% (23.3% national average)
Promoters: ...
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Community perception:
Victoria as a place to live
Detractors: 32.8% (15.4% national average)
Passives: 28.4% (23.8% national average)
Promoters: 38.8% (60.9% national average)
Victoria as a place to visit
Detractors: 41.4% (29.2% national average)
Passives: 29.3% (23.3% national average)
Promoters: 29.3% (47.5% national average)
Victoria as a place to conduct business
Detractors: 33% (23.3% national average)
Passives: 31.3% (26.7% national average)
Promoters: 35.7% (50% national average)
Source: branding project results packet
Poll results:*
When you think of Victoria, Texas, what comes to mind?
It is a small community
Country city
Don't know
A medium-sized town and an accessed coast
They are bankers and ranchers, oil and gas
South Texas
Source: branding project results packet
*Poll included 175 people, mainly from the Houston area.
"X" doesn't just mark any old spot.
It's gotten slightly more specific and centers itself nearby. On Victoria, to be exact.
Victoria Chamber of Commerce President Randy Vivian announced the city's new logo and slogan Wednesday in the University of Houston-Victoria's Alcorn Auditorium.
The logo depicts the words Victoria - TX, with an outline of the Gulf Coast. The red "X" sits treasure-map style where the city should be, while the slogan reads "Where past and present are perfect neighbors."
The announcement comes at the end of an approximately $72,000 branding project that lasted more than a year. The goal was to create an image that will be the cornerstone for marketing the community.
The project included a months-long study by Nashville's North Star Destination Strategies, where the company observed the city, visited with organizations and polled both community members and those outside of Victoria.
Community perception was disheartening, Vivian said, noting the study revealed more detractors and fewer promoters than the national average when it came to rating Victoria as a place to live or visit.
"The city of Victoria has an inferiority complex," Vivian said, explaining those who live outside Victoria gave the city an average rating of 7.07 out of 10 for overall value.
"When people come to Victoria, they like it."
The only way to attract people from larger cities is to bring in assets such as a river walk or to revitalize the downtown area, County Judge Don Pozzi said. He recommended concentrating on the 250,000-population drawing power, he said, which could include adding more retail.
Other than learning public perceptions and gaining a new logo, Pozzi said he isn't sure how much the community learned from the branding project.
Mayor Will Armstrong said he was disappointed the project took so long, but said he likes the logo and tag line. But the work isn't over yet.
The program will be judged by how it's implemented, he said, and it should be implemented hand-in-hand with entities such as the convention and visitors bureau, economic development corporation and the city.
The next step is to make the changes, Vivian said, explaining the chamber will update its logo.
Vivian already has appointments to speak with several local organizations and will go before the city council on July 7.
The goal is to allow access to anyone who wishes to use the logo and slogan, he said, but with restrictions. A contract will dictate how the marketing materials can be used.
More work may lie ahead, but Vivian said he's glad to be at this stage.
"We've got a skeleton, now we can begin to build on it," he said. "I'm extremely happy."
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I have never visited a city due to their logo. It is not the logo that attracts visitors, it is the things to do in the city. We do not have anything to do. No festivals, no park concerts. Maybe Victoria should of put on a music and arts festival with the money to attract visitors. Our "leaders" are idiots.
June 26, 2009 at 11:04 a.m.Thanks for the correction, Smartee... While it makes my previous comment totally invalid, that's still A LOT of money just for a brand that came from a panel of outsiders.
June 26, 2009 at 8:56 a.m.Why is everyone blaming the City Council for this?
Randy Vivian and the Chamber of Commerce are responsible! Not a part of the city! Gee whiz already!
June 25, 2009 at 5:47 p.m.Also know Yoakum kept business out to keep wages low. They are suffering now. "Brand" for Yoakum....Come visit here......Y? It's Yoakum!
June 25, 2009 at 5:39 p.m.Geez...they could've gotten an illiterate (those who sign their name with an X since they can't spell) to come up with that "brand" for a lot less & the $$ would've gone to someone more in need. It makes Victoria seem ignorant....kinda like Oklahomas slogan..."Oklahoma is OK!"
June 25, 2009 at 5:27 p.m.since i took the time to register i will weigh in on this story too. use what you got and go with more of it. never saw your zoo, actually never been to victoria but i have seen zoos in amsterdam, barcelona, berlin and plenty of us locations. that sounds better than shopping especially since we all have the same stores no matter where you live now.
kcs just spent 175 million on one of the few rail reconstructions in the country nearby and i bet there is a way to ride that coat tail, how many people know the origin of 'macaroni' anyway.
local items with national following (quality old homes, museums of various kinds, ie: ag, railroad, early industry or political chicanery) may attract visitors.
i recall a town where one industry made sure nobody came in with new business in the late 70s and 80s because they did not want wages to go up.. that town has lost 60% of its population, all the young mostly, dont go that way.
June 25, 2009 at 4:41 p.m.Ok, so we have a "brand" that is very neutral and not very noticeable or understandable. You pay 70,000 for some research in the city only to find noone likes it here, and for someone to come up with this "brand". You then put the brand on a billboard inside the town? People have to come here before they see it. Did we miss a step somewhere? Like how to get people here first?
June 25, 2009 at 4:05 p.m.Remember the Letter to the Editor referencing the desire for a horse safe venue/rodeo arena?
The $72,000 would have gone much farther on that project and would have probably attracted more people than this very expensive BRAND.
The city couldn't have just refurbished those bushes that spell out "VICTORIA" on either side of town?
The City paid $72,000 for OUTSIDERS to think up of something catchy that represents Victoria? Wow... I guess the City doesn't think we have enough talent or creativity lying within the City Limits. The Council couldn't have publicized a contest open to high school students, or something?
Oh, wait... The Board doesn't listen to the student body. So, why would the citizens of Victoria expect their Council to take an active interest?
Aye, chihuahua!
June 25, 2009 at 4:04 p.m.'Home of the original Six Flags over Texas' -- oh I get it. Not the fun one with the rollercoasters, shows, etc.; the other one.
June 25, 2009 at 3:40 p.m.Maybe that money should have gone to the Victoria Zoo!
June 25, 2009 at 3:28 p.m.Beige. Ugly. Not eyecatching at all.
June 25, 2009 at 3:14 p.m.There are not sufficient words to describe how ridiculous it is that that much money was spent on this "project". It was a waste of money, indeed. I doubt that any slogan, branding, or billboard could possibly improve the likability or revenue of the city as much as the idiots behind this project seem to think it will. In fact, I'm sure it will do quite the opposite for anyone who knows the unfortunate misuse of what I presume is our city's tax dollars.
June 25, 2009 at 2:56 p.m.Give me 70,000 bucks and I can type up Victoria, Tx with the X in red squiggly writing. Probably even get it done in a day if I had to.
June 25, 2009 at 2:29 p.m.To me, this is actually misleading. Some could connect 'six flags' with the theme park. Having said that, I think it's a fine point to promote but, still, it could be misleading.
June 25, 2009 at 1:05 p.m.what a waste of money. just something else for Vivian to get his picture in the paper for nothing.
June 25, 2009 at 9:18 a.m."Victoria-Where less is best"
Could apply to MANY areas of this town.
June 25, 2009 at 6:45 a.m.RU, now that is funny.
June 24, 2009 at 11:15 p.m.I thought this was a Chamber project from the get-go. The City let the Chamber take over the Visitor's Bureau and that budget. They got rid of Mona Faust; probably used her salary and budget money to finance this. At first it was around $56,000 for the branding of Victoria.
But it does appear that they have spent $70,000 to find out that the locals are not in love with the city! I think we've been telling them that for free for some time now!
Maybe the Advocate could refresh our memories on this.
June 24, 2009 at 10:53 p.m.