Canadians have been known to give Americans a hard time for their lack of knowledge - or their hilarious misconceptions - about Canada, but that's a dangerous game to play because the same thing happens between Northern Canadians and Southern Canadians. Heck, I was once part of a meeting with a certain politician who had a northern portfolio and he introduced himself by talking about how he knew what it was like to be a northerner because he was from... Muskoka. Three hours north of Canada's biggest city (six if you count rush hour) and he is a northerner. We spent the rest of the meeting educating him about how ice bridges affect grocery supply and other northern goodness.
But a lot of Canadians just don't have a clue about the North. I don't hold it against anyone. How can you know unless you've been taught or unless you've been?
Up Here Magazine commissioned a survey to find out how much Southern Canadians know about the North. The results indicate that a lot of people haven't been taught about the North and many, many, many, many haven't been.
How much do you know about the North? Take the UpHere challenge!
The City of Whitehorse. Branded.
To All Whitehorse Residents:
I have to give credit to the City of Whitehorse. They were told that they needed to develop new branding for the city and they've embarked on that process.
It's hard to capture the essence of a city like Whitehorse through a brand, especially when it isn't clear what the branding is supposed to achieve. Is it a rallying cry for city employees? A badge of pride for current residents? An enticement for potential residents as a place to live? An enticement for investors as a place to invest and do business?
While the debate rages about the proposed logo, I'd like to focus in on the City's tag-line - something that ultimately affects the visual branding that the city uses.
The City of Whitehorse is often referred to as "The Wilderness City". Perhaps a great tag line at first blush, but who does it really appeal to beyond locals and tourists? The idea of living in a wilderness city is appealing to many, but I could think of a dozen other cities that could make similar claims. It also implies that Whitehorse is all "bush" - that we are lacking in amenities. Nothing could be further from the truth. Why would we downplay the incredible services that we have?
The city has also used "Striving for Excellence". It's a great internal mission and could be considered a call to action for city residents - but what does it imply to people from elsewhere? That we're below par? That's we're not good enough to be considered "excellent"? That's not a good message for potential residents and investors. We're not below par, so why would we imply that?
The Ontario firm that was hired to develop the new brand has proposed "Above all Expectations". Ooh, clever. It plays up the whole "We're north of 60 so we're above most other places" thing. It taps into that whole north vs. south thing that tickles the pleasure centres of people from Outside. And it's true that anyone who has visited Whitehorse will say that the city exceeded their expectations. But for anyone who has never been to Whitehorse, the tag line is... well... generic. Bland. Without any real substance. It just doesn't mean much. "Above all Expectations" falls far below my expectations.
So, how does one capture the great lifestyle we enjoy, the tremendous business and investment opportunities that are available, and the joys of having a wilderness playground at our doorstep? I'd like to propose a fourth option for the city's new tag-line - one that I believe will appeal to residents, prospective residents, tourists, and investors alike.
Ladies and gentlemen, for your consideration, my proposed tag-line is...
I have to give credit to the City of Whitehorse. They were told that they needed to develop new branding for the city and they've embarked on that process.
It's hard to capture the essence of a city like Whitehorse through a brand, especially when it isn't clear what the branding is supposed to achieve. Is it a rallying cry for city employees? A badge of pride for current residents? An enticement for potential residents as a place to live? An enticement for investors as a place to invest and do business?
While the debate rages about the proposed logo, I'd like to focus in on the City's tag-line - something that ultimately affects the visual branding that the city uses.
The City of Whitehorse is often referred to as "The Wilderness City". Perhaps a great tag line at first blush, but who does it really appeal to beyond locals and tourists? The idea of living in a wilderness city is appealing to many, but I could think of a dozen other cities that could make similar claims. It also implies that Whitehorse is all "bush" - that we are lacking in amenities. Nothing could be further from the truth. Why would we downplay the incredible services that we have?
The city has also used "Striving for Excellence". It's a great internal mission and could be considered a call to action for city residents - but what does it imply to people from elsewhere? That we're below par? That's we're not good enough to be considered "excellent"? That's not a good message for potential residents and investors. We're not below par, so why would we imply that?
The Ontario firm that was hired to develop the new brand has proposed "Above all Expectations". Ooh, clever. It plays up the whole "We're north of 60 so we're above most other places" thing. It taps into that whole north vs. south thing that tickles the pleasure centres of people from Outside. And it's true that anyone who has visited Whitehorse will say that the city exceeded their expectations. But for anyone who has never been to Whitehorse, the tag line is... well... generic. Bland. Without any real substance. It just doesn't mean much. "Above all Expectations" falls far below my expectations.
So, how does one capture the great lifestyle we enjoy, the tremendous business and investment opportunities that are available, and the joys of having a wilderness playground at our doorstep? I'd like to propose a fourth option for the city's new tag-line - one that I believe will appeal to residents, prospective residents, tourists, and investors alike.
Ladies and gentlemen, for your consideration, my proposed tag-line is...
"Wild Opportunities"
Pro Tip for Dads #3182
When emptying a potty into the toilet, pour the contents low and onto the side of the toilet bowl - it prevents undesirable backsplashes into the face!
