runlindsayrun

Can you feel it?

I wish I had the luxury of writing a letter to the editor, or using some similar traditional vehicle to express my opinion on Manitoba's new brand. Unfortunately, working for a competing agency, I'm afraid it would just sound whiny because we pitched for the contract and didn't get it. Instead, I'll take a moment to *briefly and tactfully* share a few thoughts here. And then we'll leave it and move on with our lives without another thought - just like everyone else who sees the new brand.

And therein lies my first point: it's not a brand. A brand is something you ARE. The logo and tagline and ad campaign are merely vehicles by which to express that brand to the world. We are not 'spirited energy.' It's something we aspire to be/have. Which makes it more of a vision statement + logo. And even worse... It's a vision statement + logo that has little relevance to Manitobans.

What makes me laugh the most is that this campaign is telling me - as a young professional - that there are unlimited opportunities here. But then this task force went out and hired people from New York and Toronto for a project that my agency could have done. We don't believe in you... But you should believe in yourselves! Talk about quintessentially Manitoban.

There was some tongue-in-cheek talk of leaving the province in protest yesterday. I'm not packing yet. But I am going to think pretty seriously about why I've chosen to stay.

Take a look at the website - www.spiritedenergy.ca. And then click to send in your feedback :)

L

posted by Lindsay @ 9:43 AM