The Dexter Leader
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Dexter brand logo gets lukewarm reception
By Sean Dalton, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: August 28, 2008
A first look at a potential common logo for Dexter Village government and the Dexter Area Chamber of Commerce was not met with great enthusiasm at the Village Council's last meeting.
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The logo is part of chamber member Steve Gergely's "New Order" marketing initiative, which would have the council, Downtown Development Authority and chamber working together to market the village as a destination for business.
It would also show potential business developers that local government is streamlined and works together on issues that matter to business, according to Gergely.
"I really felt that what happened was what would happen," he said of the tepid feedback on the logo, a rendering of Gordon Hall in front of a splash of water representing the Huron River, and a gazebo.
"That's why I said it's like wallpaper, not everyone is going to agree. Unfortunately I thought it went too far, it was too good and they thought it was finished art and it wasn't."
Village Trustee Jim Carson praised the design, but just didn't feel it was a "corporate logo" that the village should use.
"To tell you the truth, I would prefer what we have now, which isn't our official logo," he said of the gazebo graphic that the village uses on much of its documentation.
Others thought that there should have been more than one version of the logo presented to the council.
"I would have expected to see at least three or at least have some comparisons," Trustee Jim Smith said. "Before you're ready to say 'Take it to the graphics artist and spend time,' I would have liked to see more mock-ups."
Smith questioned the representation of the Huron River in the logo.
"If you go back and look at some of the history of the village, we don't see anything about the Huron River," he said, adding that he saw the logo as more specific to the Chamber of Commerce.
Village Trustee Donna Fisher was concerned about the process and the clarity of intent behind the logo.
"It's pretty risky that it's gone this far without any input," Fisher said.
"I don't remember anybody asking if I wanted to be on the committee. I think I need time to absorb it. It's hard to come right out of the gate and say 'That's great' or 'That's (bad)'."
She said she is "bothers" by the pace at which the village is moving to "re-brand" itself.
Gergely reassured the council that the logo had cost the village no money, because any consultation that had been involved would be donated up to a certain point since he is a commercial artist, a Dexter business owner and chamber member.
Village President Shawn Keough said he thought the logo was on the agenda for a first look, and nothing more.
Most of the council was unsure of how to adopt the logo or "come to a consensus" in the community on it.
Gergely and other chamber members have visited other towns that have implemented a way of functioning that is the basis of the New Order way of business.
"We've had our business to Holland and (elsewhere) and all of those places have a unique logo that suits the village or town that it represents."
By the end of the meeting, Gergely was unsure of the New Order's future, and he hopes to be on an upcoming meeting agenda to take another look at the logo issue.
"If we can't decide on this, then (it's) shot," he said.
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