Upstart Cornwall

Branding Gone Wrong 101 : Cornwall.ca

Congratulations Cornwall on your new brand. I’ll admit the logo isn’t perfect - but it’s growing on me. It gets better every time I see it and eventually I am sure I will like it. The slogan, I’m still a skeptic - but now this:

As part of the new branding of the City - the “new” website now includes the revised logo seen here. The splash page is ok if it’s 1998 - but be sure to enter the site.

The City has spent an enormous amount of money on a new logo and slogan to help brand the City better and it’s trying to improve its image. A website is a huge, critical part of any branding efforts today and yet - the “new” site gives the impression that very little time, effort or thought went into the layout. Here are a few examples:

1. A broken page that stretches everything.
2. No background image on the site / header
3. The site doesn’t load properly in Firefox
4. The Economic Development Section has a very professional cartoon newspaper with a tie on.
5. The Business Enterprise Section stretches the layout.

All in all I could sit here and point out things about the site all day. The site does not live up to my standard of Cornwall and nor should it yours. I suggest everyone contact their counselors and urge them to redevelop the City’s website ASAP.

Why bother with a new logo and slogan - if the single largest branding asset is not done properly? It’s like having a shinny new “BMW” decal on the front of your Honda.

I hope - I really hope - that a website redesign is part of the re-branding effort. Simply replacing a logo and removing the old colours on a website doesn’t cut it.

In the order of full disclosure: I run a web design company in Cornwall and I did not win the bid for this project a few years ago when it came out. This is not about spite - its about Cornwall’s image - and our website is failing us more than any logo or slogan could.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007 at 10:45 pm and is filed under Branding. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 Responses to “Branding Gone Wrong 101 : Cornwall.ca”

1. Nicole Says:
   October 24th, 2007 at 12:30 pm

   After looking at the website and navigating through the tabs - I have to say that I am not liking it one bit.
   It comes across as a cheap looking website. I do not like the white background or the black box around everything.

   So I decided to check out other cities:

   http://www.brockville.com/
   http://www.ottawa.ca/

   In my opinion, there was no comparison - these websites were far superior than Cornwall’s website.

   Who votes on these sort of things? How can the people in Cornwall get more involved?

2. Riley Says:
   October 25th, 2007 at 10:24 pm

   Eric I have to agree with you on this one. The website is a very important part of creating a new brand, especially to those potential Businesses outside the city. What is the first thing they are going to see? Answer, a shoddy website that does not leave a lasting impression of the city. Am I wrong here in asking what did our $200,000 or so go we paid an Ottawa firm go towards? I know, I know the money we paid the Ottawa Firm was for the Slogan and image but isn’t a website part of that image?

3. Jason Herington Says:
   October 27th, 2007 at 1:44 am

   Riley,

   It is my understanding that the city’s budget is 200k, only 25k was spent on the logo part… leaving us with 175k

4. PittandSecond.com - Cornwall, Ontario - Cornwall Ontario Blog » Blog Archive » Cornwall Ontario - Deaf Ears? Says:
   October 28th, 2007 at 10:31 pm

   […] for more errors and opinion visit http://www.upstartcornwall.com/2007/10/23/branding-gone-wrong-101-cornwallca/ […]

5. Steve Perry Says:
   April 1st, 2008 at 6:43 pm

   As someone who designs websites for non-profit organizations I really think we should get together and make the city change to some website developer who actually has an understanding about marketing and website promotion. Our city website is absolutely horrible. Personally I do not have the time to do so since I am employed full time in another occupation. However I have always been of fan of the work that Unexia does and certainly your company could provide much needed direction to the city to as far as promotion of the city and city image. It is rather unbelievable that the only basic change to the website was the colour and the new logo.I have been thinking of putting up a non-official site to promote the city. I have many photographers and video people who might be willing to do this for free. If you are up to the challenge give me a shout. (englishguy@cogeco.ca)I have lived in this city for 54 years. I have always been a promoter of the city when away at provincial conferences. Unfortunately the people we have on city council do not have a clue. I am really tired of seeing a city with so much potential go down the drain. Perhaps a non-official site with real promotion potential might get some of these people thinking.

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