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Client: North Port, Florida

North Port slogan is a start for the city

BY John Davis

The form that the message will take could be unveiled in coming weeks.

The "Achieve Anything" tagline was chosen in September, but City Manager Steve Crowell said branding is about more than a slogan.

"Are we a small bedroom community or are we a community that's open for business, and what does that mean?" he said of the city's identity search.

The branding initiative started in 2008 when the city signed a contract with the Tennessee firm North Star Destination Strategies to create a marketing identity for North Port.

The strategy has grown in importance for North Port, whose image has been hurt by abandoned houses, high unemployment and embarrassing mistakes by its fire and police departments in recent high profile cases.

An improved image is also key to the city's economic development goals.

"It's important to keep a long view of this thing and make certain North Port has a positive image," said Commissioner Tom Jones.

Even as other parts of the city's budget have been slashed, North Port is stepping up spending for marketing and economic development, setting aside $200,000 for marketing and recruitment and setting up a $500,000 revolving loan fund for businesses.

North Star has done similar work in many cities nationwide, including Gainesville, Anchorage, Alaska, and Mobile, Ala. The city is waiting on its logos and marketing plan, expected in the coming weeks.

"Fresh with possibility," "opportunity community" and "your direction home," were some of the taglines suggested by North Star, but rejected by North Port in favor of "Achieve Anything."

Mindy Tew, executive director of the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce, is looking forward to seeing and using the North Port brand this year.

"It's really important on two levels," she said. "It's important to have that piece for people outside North Port looking to come in, and it's important for people in North Port."