FRIDAY JULY 1, 2016
VOL. 42, NO. 73
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Watch for more online at: WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM
Summer reading club
Kick back on the library lawn with a good read this summer
Canada Day celebration
Crippen Park is the place to be on July 1
Round Bowen Challenge
Resident Bruce McTaggart claims victory in gruelling competition
Bowen’s ‘awful’ new tag revealed MARIA SPITALE-LEISK EDITOR
“Tell your friends it’s awful here” – this is now Bowen’s official slogan, so get used to it. The tongue-in-cheek catchphrase is complemented by the island’s official mascot: a hand-drawn deer. It’s all part of Bowen’s new branding which was unveiled – and unanimously endorsed by council – Monday at municipal hall. The fact Bowen’s new identity was not crafted by outsiders, but rather community members who approached the project “with a passion,” was celebrated at the meeting. “This is a Bowen Island project by Bowen Islanders for Bowen Islanders,” said Gordon Ganong, economic development committee chairman. “The last thing anyone wanted was a traditional marketing campaign.” The road to finding Bowen’s new rallying cry started two years ago when the volunteer-run EDC undertook the branding initiative. Extensive research with community members and visitors – conducted by Bowen residents Edward Wachtman and Sheree Johnson, founders of StoryTellings Consulting, an international pre-branding consulting firm – drove the branding process. Five key themes emerged from
Kayakers and stand-up paddlers propel their way around Bowen Island Saturday during the 16th annual Round Bowen Challenge. See race results and more photos from the event on page 3. photo Matt Somerville
engaging Bowen stakeholders, including a strong sense of community and a connection with nature. With this information in hand, the EDC began searching for the right candidate to brand Bowen. The committee received 35 professional submissions from branding experts across North America and was given estimates that
were upwards of $100,000 to develop a brand. In the end the EDC went with homegrown talent in Bowen resident Chris Staples, founder of the award-winning, national advertising agency Rethink – which, along with StoryTellings, provided their services on a pro bono basis. In fact, Bowen’s new identity was developed with min-
imal expense to the municipality, as the EDC solicited $150,000 in professional expertise and cash donations from businesses and individuals. Reflecting on Bowen’s branding journey, Staples, who helped create campaigns for companies such as Coast Capital Savings, Science World, Molson Canadian,
Shaw Communications and A&W Restaurants, said this is the one project that he poured the most amount of research into. This process, said Staples, has allowed him to uncover what is “real and true” about Bowen. Staples opened his presentation to council by explaining how on his walk to town hall Monday he noticed a mish-
mash of municipal branding. A logo on a BIM truck depicted three mountains, while a fire and rescue vehicle displayed a different logo and then when Staples arrived he spotted a heron on the sign outside the hall. “It means I don’t recognize Bowen,” said Staples. “If
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