Its much too simple for Longview

And we thought we were the only regional benefactor of such intelligent design. Not so. Lightning can strike twice.

When Texarkana paid $40,000 for its brand a howl went up. A lot of folks choked on the words, if not gagged. It was a mouthful.

‘Western spirit served with Southern hospitality? It didnt seem to speak to many of us. It really wasnt memorable or succinct.

It certainly didnt hold a candle to ‘Twice as Nice’ the Twin Cities venerable standard. Indeed, there are few phrases more telling or positive about this particular place than ‘Twice as Nice.

But Texarkana paid a lot for a new brand and the marketing data that went with it. It seemed we should have gotten more for our money.

Guess what? Longview paid more. And they are just as unhappy.

As Mr. T might say, ‘Pity the fools.

Longview paid the same company that worked with the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce in 2005 to develop a slogan and marketing plan. Earlier this month they fired them.

The company, North Star Destination Strategies, came up with this for our neighbor 100 miles to the southwest: ‘Longview, East Texas, Pure and Simple.

Catchy, maybe. But a lot of residents there took exception to it, most particularly the simple part.

Simple, not as in uncluttered, but simple as in simpleton. That was how it translated. Being simple is not always a term of endearment.

Even worse, two other towns already laid claim to ‘pure and simple’ one in Colorado and one on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The Colorado community of Gunnison-Crested Butte even had the phrase trademarked.

Longview may be a new location, but it is a well-worn phrase.

Longview officials didnt take kindly to the connotation or the lack of uniqueness. They fired the company and will seek more community input on a new city brand.

The cost to the city is about $57,000 according to media outlets in Longview. They had agreed to pay $80,000 for the work, but will not pay the balance of what they owe. They think $57,000 is fair because they got research out of the deal.

Most places who have paid for an identity arent as unhappy as Texarkana or Longview, but far too many cities are hanging their hopes on a string of words. It may be the trendy thing to do right now, but its not a be-all, end-all, cure-all.

Slogans only go so far. Words only get the new client through the door, they dont make the sale. While it may be important for a community to sell itself, it is not going to answer to the quality of life question in a string of words.

Someday, when every city has an expensive designer label, those who come calling will immediately look past the slogans and evaluate the substance. They will know that a brand is just a hook, it only gives a hint of the full story.

Thats not to say that these brands arent without merit. There is an art to stringing words together that has measurable value. It is why phrases such as ‘Its the real thing’ ‘finger-licking good’ and ‘Plop. Plop. Fizz. Fizz. resonate long after they have outlived their cultural appeal and in their prime made their companies millions of dollars. It is why the vast majority of us have an instant impression when we see golden arches.

And sometimes it is better to have an outsider evaluate who you are and what you have to sell. Insiders are often too close to see the potential.

But ultimately, the folks who live in a place will know if the marketer has hit the mark.

In Texarkana and Longview, the view from within was a resounding thud of mouths dropping and chins collectively hitting the ground.

We are not where the West meets the South. They are not pure and simple. We are what we are and they are what they are. And those essences have yet to be adequately distilled and made memorable.