Findlay committee backs launching community branding process, funding amount to be set later

The Findlay City Strategic Planning Committee voted April 21 to recommend the city move forward with a community branding process led by AR Marketing, with the final funding amount to be determined later.

The proposal reviewed by the committee calls for a roughly five-month branding engagement, including tagline development, logo and visual identity, stakeholder engagement and a toolkit other local organizations could use. Committee members said the full proposal price is $47,000; the mayor’s office requested authorization to appropriate up to $30,000 while other stakeholders pursue contributions to cover the balance.

Committee members said they support the concept but raised questions about who should lead and own the brand, how the city’s identity would relate to existing organizational brands (for example, the Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Chamber and Blanchard Valley Health System) and the long-term maintenance model. Blake Martin, creative director at AR Marketing, described the work as the creation of “an organized toolkit that anybody can use” to present a consistent visual identity and messaging for the community.

Several members said they were comfortable advancing the concept but not ready to fix a city appropriation without clearer commitments from other partners. At one point a committee member summarized the group’s position as supportive of the work but wanting more detail on “other parties at the table” and the ownership structure before approving specific city funding.

After discussion, a committee member moved to recommend that council approve moving forward with the community branding process with a specific amount to be determined later; the motion passed by voice vote. The committee did not adopt any ordinance or appropriate funding at the meeting; staff said they would return with a more defined leadership and financing plan and draft legislation for council consideration.

Why it matters: Committee members said a coherent community brand could help recruitment and retention of workers, aid economic development outreach and give residents and local employers a consistent set of images and messages to use when promoting the area. The committee’s action allows staff to continue negotiations and planning without a firm city expenditure yet.

Next steps: Staff and AR Marketing will refine the project plan, identify potential financial contributors among local employers and partner organizations, and return to the committee with a proposed ownership model and final cost for appropriation and council action.