Greater Winston-Salem Inc
Rebranding in Winston-Salem embraces the past and future.
Winston-Salem, NC, wanted a brand identity that elevated its national presence while remaining true to the area’s historic roots. With “Winston-Salem: Where It Starts,” DCI created a visual identity that places Winston-Salem at the intersection of old and new, artistic and scientific, gritty and immaculately designed.
The Challenge
Inspired by industry and driven by innovation, Winston-Salem's city identity was intertwined with its history in tobacco and textile manufacturing. Today, its iconic brick factories have been repurposed into modern amenities alongside one of the country’s foremost urban technology parks. The problem? Winston-Salem had no clear destination brand image or visual identity on the national stage and lacked cohesive messaging among internal audiences. So DCI tapped its city branding and research expertise to create what became a successful city brand.
The Solution
In conjunction with messaging and a marketing strategy, DCI spearheaded the branding campaign for Winston-Salem, developing a place brand strategy that, like the city, holds extremes – old and new, artistic and scientific – and amplifies them to attract business investment, talent and entrepreneurs. Elevating Winston-Salem’s economic development offerings to stakeholders on a national stage, DCI engaged its expertise in placemaking and place marketing to develop a brand strategy and creative city logo design that was forward-looking while paying homage to the area’s rich history.
The Results
-
With the tagline, “Where It Starts,” the new branding effort ties back to the foundation of innovation and discovery on which Winston-Salem was built as well as the potential it offers to build the ideas and businesses of tomorrow.
-
Blue, red, yellow and white graphic design nod to North Carolina’s flag – a state with very positive perceptions among corporate executives and site selection consultants.
-
The tagline offers flexibility to substitute other words for “It” depending on the message – such as “Where Innovation Starts,” “Where Business Starts” or “Where Life Starts.”