Brand "stunt"

We retained The Richards Group to help us with our new brand development.  Frankly, we had a blast working wtih these professionals for well over a year to craft a new name and brand identity. 

The result:  CitySquare!

Following the advice of our counselors at The Richards Group, we organized a PR "stunt" on Monday, October 25, the day of our public "roll out" for the new brand.  The exercise involved over 100 of our team gathering in Downtown Dallas before 7:00 a.m.  We then spread out with large square stencils and sidewalk chalk in hand to about 100 locations plotted in the central business district. 

We drew large squares on the sidewalks at strategic corners so that all of the people walking to work would see our message.  Inside the squares we recorded a "poverty fact" about Dallas, Texas and/or the USA. 

Our action created quite a stir!  And, since they had been tipped off, lots of press showed up to take photos and to capture video for TV news coverage.  And, just for the record, we had cleared our plans with the police department's Downtown unit! 

Here are a few images from the morning.

CitySquare

People ask me, "What's up with the new name?"

Maybe this will help!

Let me hear your reactions after you've watched.

What is "CitySquare"?

When people see our new brand, they always ask, "What is CitySquare?" 

Of course, that is exactly the question a good brand prompts!  And, we are all very eager to talk about the meaning back of the new image, as well as the work out in front of it. 

One helpful way to understand CitySquare is to contextualize it, to put it in various places. 

So, clearly, CitySquare is. . .

. . .a gathering place for the community.

. . .a place of inclusion where everyone is welcome.

. . .a place where the various institutions of a community intersect.

. . .a place where everyone can be heard, known and respected.

. . .a place of community resources and equal access and opportunity.

. . .a place into which the values and priorities of life and faith can be spoken and lived out.

. . .a place for planning and mobilization.

. . .a place for service and action.

. . .a place for working out just solutions to tough challenges.

. . .a place where things are "squared up," reconciled and made right.

. . .a place where hard questions can be asked and plans formulated for providing satisfying answers.

This is CitySquare!