"Who Knew!" If you haven't been to Redmond lately, it's likely you'll be saying it too. The new tagline epitomizes the surprise reaction people exhibit when they learn about Redmond Downtown, according to city officials and the Redmond Downtown Partnership (RDP). As part of Friday's Walk the Art Beat celebration, The RDP announced the new Who Knew! branding campaign and, for the first time, publicly revealed the new logo. With the Highway 97 re-route completed, downtown Redmond's revitalization is in full swing. Traffic has been cleared and new businesses have opened. The City invested more than $90 million to for the reroute and is now planning to widen sidewalks, build city parks, add public art, and erect new buildings. "The vision for Redmond Downtown is a place of vitality, energy and excitement. There is now more unique shopping, dining, and businesses," said Camden King, prersident of the Redmond Downtown Partnership, the organization tasked with marketing the downtown district. RDP bests that if you haven't been to the downtown district recently, you would be pleasantly surprised. New gourmet restaurants have opened, like the standing-room-only hot spot, the Brickhouse Steak and Raw Bar. Urban art galleries like the High Desert Gallery and Desert Dog Gallery add a cultural flare. Unique stores like the eclectic Paulina Springs Books or Piper Lilly provide a place to linger. Family favorites, like Goody's sweet shop, also keep the area distinctively local. Who Knew! "Redmond's downtown success depends on attracting more local residents, tourists and investors to do business in Redmond," continued King. The Who Knew! branding campaign begins this year and is expected to last through at least the next two years. It will capitalize on Redmond Downtown as an up-and-coming top destination in Central Oregon. Kick-started by the new logo and tagline, the brand effort will augment the City, Chamber and other key local entities in attracting more tourists and business to Redmond. The plan includes more community events, opportunities for businesses to co-op group advertising, regional public relations, and marketing that highlights specific district businesses. To ensure an image that is reflective of Redmond as a whole, RDP hired Every Idea, LLC, to conduct internal research, focus groups and create the new brand image. "Developing this brand to honor Redmond's history and convey its growth was extremely important. Redmond is a diverse community with a distinct blend of the Old West and an emerging, younger, more urban population," said Wendie Every, owner of Every Idea. Who Knew! won hands down in the research and seemed to absolutely reflect Redmond as a hidden gem. The logo includes four boxes that illustrate components that make Redmond Downtown unique, including its western heritage, its national recognition for Flag USA, and the shopping and dining available. It will be a brand that is versatile and will hold true as Redmond grows. The consistent image will also help steer economic development in a direction that suits what Redmond residents' desire, including more independent businesses that are representative of Redmond's personality. |
