Town branding that attracts
I continue to give thought to how we, the citizens of Tarboro, could give our town a branding that in itself would be an attraction.
I learned recently about Spruce Pine, North Carolina, "Home of the perfect Christmas Tree" .
" During the Christmas season of 2003, author Gloria Houston gave a gift to the small town of Spruce Pine, North Carolina. She gave the rights to her award-winning children’s book, The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree. Over the preceding twelve months, Spruce Pine and Mitchell County had suffered serious economic challenges, losing over 2,500 textile, furniture and other manufacturing sector jobs to outsourcing.
From that original idea, the Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree project was born. With entrepreneurial development as a primary focus, the project has created 60 individual small businesses that have produced quality, handmade products as part of the Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree collection". . . in 2006, 250 locally-made ornaments from the town's "collection" were used to decorate Christmas Trees in The White House. - from their website.
What can Tarboro use to create a marketable brand? It could be something made here. It could be something in our history. It could be whatever we choose.
I had one of my many far-fetched ideas. I thought I'd throw it out there and get your creative juices flowing.
Tarboro, The Kaleidoscope Capital. I know, we don't have any kaleidoscopes, but bear with me here. What I like about the kaleidoscope theme is that it lends itself to so much variation and kaleidoscopes are very attractive in themselves. Who can resist taking a peek inside when you know it will be like candy to your eyes.
Come to Tarboro, The Kaleidoscope Capital, Take A Peek Inside
Sounds like a terrific day-trip destination to me. Kaleidoscopes are colorul and vibrant and come in hundreds of different styles. The kaleidoscope theme can be represented in other arts and crafts, such as stained glass, quilts, pottery, rug-making, the list goes on and on.
It may be a stupid idea. It may be a genius idea.
I can see Kaleidoscope banners hanging throughout town. I can visualize businesses producing kaleidoscopes and kaleidoscope inspired products. I can see shops full of merchandise, and better still, I can see sidewalks full of visitors. 
Which sounds like more fun ... a cantaloupe festival or a kaleidoscope festival?
Hmm... could we make kaleidoscopes out of cantaloupes? Tarboro, home of the Cantaloupe Kaleidoscope?
Ok, I'll stop. I know when I've gone too far.
Grassroots of Tarboro
To revisit my earlier blog entry regarding town branding - Click Here.
Grassroots of Tarboro
in Tarboro, NC, Branding for Towns
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2 Comments
Reader Comments (2)
There's a very fine line between a stupid idea and a genius idea.
When we were in Albuquerque, New Mexico a couple of years ago, in the Old Town section, we ran across a kaleidoscope shop. There were kaleidoscopes for kids that cost a few dollars, all the way up to huge glass ones on wooden floor stands that cost several thousand. It was very cool, and I was amazed that a shop could be successful selling nothing but kaleidoscopes.
La Casita de Kaleidoscopes
As usual, Betty, there's a great bit of food for thought in your blog!
Kaleidoscopes make me think of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" which begins "Picture yourself in a boat on a river..." Now, I'm not sure we can arrange "tangerine trees and marmalade skies" in Tarboro, but that bit about the river...there might be something there!
According to the history section of the (outdated but paid for :)) town's website, the town was once widely known as "Tawboro" from the Indian word "Taw" meaning "river of health."
It seems to me that, more and more, people are becomming more concerned about their health--we've even talked about how great it would be have a Whole Foods grocery store or a vegetarian restaurant in town. With Curves, a karate dojo, 3 gyms and the Quigless clinic, maybe we're on our way to becomming the healthy town or "the healthy harbor."