Watertown Convention and Visitors Bureau rebrands with new logo, city to follow
New logos representing a modern Watertown are starting to appear throughout town.
The Watertown Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, the Watertown Development Company and city are updating their logos and branding to reflect an evolving community.
The convention and visitors bureau blazed the trail by being the first to complete the rebranding. Its mission is to promote Watertown and its economy by helping area organizations with events and attracting tourism into the city. A new brand helps the visitors bureau showcase how Watertown is becoming a more modern city while retaining a traditional South Dakota feel, officials say.
Marketing firm Simpleview created the logo. The firm used elements in the logo's design that are unique to Watertown. The logo's color scheme represents the painted scene of a Terry Redlin sunset, the colorful feathers of a pheasant and the lush velvet green of the stage curtains at the Goss.
"Simpleview took photos of different things they saw throughout the city that caught their eye. These are the things they used to help describe Watertown," said Anjelica Uthe, director of marketing and business development for the visitor's bureau.
Along with the new logo, the visitors bureau also has an updated website and is finding ways to interact with the online world through social media platforms like Tiktok, Facebook and Instagram. The rebranding also provided supplemental logos for the group's online presence.
"We are trying to be on every social media platform so that we can attract new visitors to town and create awareness not only outside of Watertown, but for those inside the city as well," Uthe said.
It is a fitting time for a new logo as Watertown has several large projects, including the ice arena, the Harmony Hill development, a new airport terminal and a new city hall. The rebirth of downtown with the new Downtown Plaza Park and the remodel of the Goss have helped create an opportunity for shopping, food and fun in the heart of the city.
"All four of the organizations, the Watertown Development Company, the visitors bureau and the chamber, are using the same color and theme just like we have done in the past,” said Tim Sheehan, president and chief executive officer of the Watertown Chamber of Commerce. “This adds cohesiveness so that people know that we are tied together and on the same mission.”
New logo for Watertown
The city is now looking to hire the same marketing firm to create a new logo, replacing its old "rising star" moto.
"We love everything about the (convention and visitors bureau's) new logo," said City Manager Amanda Mack. "We want the new logo to follow the same trend with similar font and markings."
Cohesion in logos among the organizations keeps the brand identifiable, but also reveals how the four entities work together in making Watertown an attractive community to work, live and play, according to officials.
The new logo will cost the city roughly $7500.
In the next month or so, the new logo for the city and the Watertown Development Company should be finalized.
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Check out Watertown Convention and Visitors Bureau's new logo
