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New Logo, Brand: Welcome To Pensacola, The Upside Of Florida
July 19, 2012
Welcome to the “Upside of Florida”.
Where’s that you say?
It’s the City of Five Flags in the Panhandle — you know, Pensacola.
For many, many years Pensacola was the City of Five Flags due to the five national governments that have been in charge at one time or another: Spain, France, Britain, the Confederacy and the United States.
But Wednesday, Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward introduced a new logo and the catchphrase “Pensacola: The Upside of Florida”. There’s a new logo too, with the “O” in Pensacola replace by what is described as an emerald wave.
So what’s the “Upside”? That, apparently, is the new buzzword for “Panhandle”.
“I don’t like that word: the ‘panhandle,’” Hayward told “Ricks Blog“. “You know, we are the ‘upside’ of Florida.”
The new logo will be pasted on the upside, and the backside, of water towers, city vehicles, signs, websites and more.
The logo and branding were developed by the Zimmerman Agency in Tallahassee.
Comments
45 Responses to “New Logo, Brand: Welcome To Pensacola, The Upside Of Florida”
Just looks tacky and snobby in my opinion. The upside of florida? I think that would scare me and make me thnk a bunch of snobs with no diversity lived here, which is quite the opposite of who we are.
Pensacola’s mayor & leadership need to prove they’re serious by bringing significant new businesses and employment to the port and area. Until they do this, we’ll be viewed as a sleepy fishing village with a naval air station to keep the lights on for the locals. Let’s see if Hayward is truly serious. I am rooting for him, but skeptical based on 6 years of living here.
Pensacola IS what it always has been. A hick town in which its major thoroughfares are nothing more than paved cow paths going from one untimed traffic light to the next untimed traffic light. It is one of the few cities of any size, left in America that has no loop around it. Well you say it has I-110. big deal. that takes one from business dead Davis Hwy to business dead downtown, and it took 20 years to built that! Access from one part of Pensacola to another is a nightmare. a hick town indeed. To prove my point , look at the business over the last 40 years that has decided NOT to locate in Pensacola. That oughta tell you something
The only place the new logo needs to be placed is our city leaders backside.
Plus the logo looks like a big “O”. Last I seen, Pensacola started with the letter “P”. So irrational and irresonsible. There is so much more to worry about in our town than a new slogan or logo. What a priority, Mr. Mayor.
Does the “cut” along the word Pensacola indicate things may be divided on this?
I think it is an insult to the City of Five Flags.
To have some elite group just decide what is best for the rest of us sounds a bit like evil governments in other countries. No input from those affected, WE know what is best for you…..all you have to do is pay for it.
To take down the Five Flags welcome at the entrance to Pensacola from the bay bridge is just stupid……this is an affront to all who live here.
Who are the members of this “thinking” group?
Hummmm, and it looks like a takeoff of Obama’s “Change” logo.
Hayward and his group of “OH, YES” gang need to be voted OUT…..
Where was our choice? I dont see what the new logo has anything to do with Pensacola. I mean, I see the wave, but whats with the bubbles? I dont get it. Why dont we just call it ECUA? It already exsists, and it looks like we are ripping off there logo. Im sure alot of TIME and OUR TAX DOLLARS went into this. What a waste!
The Backside of Florida
If you call being the murder capital of Florida and one of the lowest per year household income areas in the state the “upside”.
Glad I live out on the frontier of North Escambia.
Just think all thoes old dusty photos and books about the City of Five Flags all over town and the world and Internet from the 1500 can be thrown out and started new. Isn’t that great. Not. Just think the new “The Upside of Florida” photos being replaceing all thoes old photos in the hospitals court house etc. I gess after time the only old images would be in TT Wentworth. But with that mindset it will probably be a uppity bar.
I think people like Hayward watched two many episodes of the smurfs , wiggles, barney, muppets or I Carley. Hahahahahahahaha. Watching to many of thoes type shows alters brain patterns. Hahahahahahaha. The Upside of Florida. Hahahahahaha. Search City of Five Flages that’s what Pensacola is. Or maby Pensacola Beach controlled by the county could change there image to The Upside of Florida Beach. That wouldnt be wright they would have to change Perdido Beach to The Upside of Florida Beach and Pensacola Beach would have to be renamed The Lower Side of The Upside of Florida Beach.
You have great marketing companies in Pensacola, so you outsource from the City?
You don’t capture the theme of the city and you pay that much money?
You brand Pensacola with a brand that no one likes?
Assuming this was polled before going public, the conclusion must be “everyone hates it, but let’s do it anyway..”
Ridiculous and wasteful and a total insult to the City and the Area. Local folks could have created a better logo and campaign and would have felt connected to the process.
What a sad, sad, sad, outcome.
Very embarrassing…you should all be ashamed for signing off on this.
I wonder if Zimmerman Agency in Tallahassee paid for Hayward’s family to vist with Scott at the air show on his trip out of the country. O honey I’m going to The Upside of Pensacola do you need anything. Hahahahahahahaha. Or honey I’m going to the mall. Whitch one? You know the one in the The Upside of Pensacola. Hahahahahahahaha. O honey let’s go to the ball game. Where mobile! No lets got to the The Upside of Pensacola ball park. Hahahahahahahah. A visitor ask what happened to the City of Five Flags O our Mayou Hayward thought this was better image and got rid of the old image established 1559 it’s new and uppity. Hahahahahahaha.
Well with decisions like the Maritime park (or is it a baseball field ?) Boy the city got took on that one , and ( branding the city, the upside, really?) it is just another shining example of why we (or a lot of us) do not ever wish to join the city in government consolidation. You think they are wasting money now? Think what would happen if they had the counties money.
Wow. Mayor you sure messed up. But, remember folks. He has higher aspirations so maybe he doesn’t care what he leaves behind.
And there could have been a contest for the new logo because there are some very talented people in Pensacola. There could have been a cash award, beach passes, movie tickets, local businesses donating wares, etc.. All for little of nothing.
Mayor, what a waste of money. At the most, the contract could have been awarded to a local ad agency.
This is the point in time where we all start to realize that Political Science majors are the bottom of the barrel.
Might as well have a degree in archery.
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
A huge waste of money. Hackward is an idiot, out of touch. There are no jobs in this county. Well except for cronies and nepotism.
I love how City job openings are going to his family and friends.
Companies don’t choose location based on logos. It’s taxes and skill level, transport, etc.
The elite in this town never get it.
New tourist campaign in the area. Move over, Ashton.
—— Century: The Downside of Florida
WOW. This would turn Escambia County upside down!
What was wrong with the City of Five Flags? It has been just fine since we were the City of Four Flags. What a load of crap. I can hear it now
“Pensacola: The Upchuck of Florida”.
Yea, taxpayers really needed this right now…….idiots
The Upside of Florida is that thanks to the economy, we’re still Panhandlers.
Somebody isn’t playing with a full deck. Just google City of Five Flags and see what your going to loose or confuse people when they serch The Upside of Florida.
It’s amazing the old timers had it wright and the new age changes it. You think all thoes people over the years remembers anything about the city except its the City of Five Flags. I don’t think so. And hire a out of town company to tell Hayward anything about Pensacola that’s crazy. I bet they the agency didn’t visit T.T.Wentworth or the court house to establish history in there new view. Just think of all the old cities changing ther image like New Orleans, Charlston, and Miami. Pensacola doesn’t compare to any of thoes cities and never will. Doesn’t make any cense to change after millions of people know its the City Of Five Flags.
SIMPLE…DUMB!!! What is the Upside of Florida anyway?????
They are trying to bring jobs to Pensacola, but the have an out of town agency to that stupid logo…oh wait…BRAND!!!!
We have people right here that could have designed that logo. Keep the money here, not farm it out!!!! Bad Decision…both on who did it and the BRAND!!!!
This is, and always will be…The City of Five Flags and it should stay that way!!!!
Something about this reminds me of lipstick and pigs….hmmm, is this old hog starting to look sort of cute? Get outta here!
Just think of possibilities. Change Five Flaggs Speedway to The Upside of Florida Speedway. Hahahahahaha.
That’s probably how that BP money is going to be wasted.
It should stay the City of Five Flages not the wantabee The Upside of Florida . The upside of Florida is all thoes cities in the south along the cost where the money is. Hayward must have caught something on his trip if he agrees with The Upside of Florida. Ha hahahahaha hahahahaha. That’s like calling the cross on Pensacola Beach the Sand Mound. Can you image The Upside of Florida Treasure Hunt finding the key to The Upside of Florida. Sound yuppiesh don’t it. Get off that airplane and your welcomed to The Upside of Florida. I think it need more color like a rainbow.
I don’t like it. They should have incorporated the Blue Angels in it. I agree with Diver Bill that the O looks like a communist crescent symbol. Also it reminds me of the O in hope and change! Ugh!
Here we go again big brother (mayou) spending money at a time in history he doesn’t need to. How about donating that million $ to our educational system since its the lowest in the three county area and improve something other than a image. O that’s wright the elite or think there the elite send there kids to private school. Out of towers don’t come to Pensacola they go to the beaches or navy base.
Here were my suggestions:
“Welcome to Pensacola,we are more like Alabama.”
“Pensacola! You’ll find prettier places in Somalia but you are here, so enjoy it!”
“Welcome to Pensacola,a city that has yet to wake up”
“Welcome to Pensacola! Have you visited one of our Buffet diners yet?”
“Welcome to Pensacola! Sorry about the mess,but we had a Hurricane here 8 freaking years ago!”
“Welcome to Pensacola! We are conveniently located between two really nice tourist places that garner a lot of tourist dollars.When visiting Destin Florida or Gulf Shores Alabama, you can get gas here and clean the love bugs off your windshield!”
“Welcome to Pensacola! We have a jazzy new Logo,but so does Detroit!”
“Welcome to Pensacola! If you are looking for a place full of dedicated Jesus Followers,You are here.(Praise Jesus!)”
“Welcome to Pensacola! That would not have happened had you locked your doors.”
“Welcome to Pensacola! If you’re not in the military, why are you here? No, seriously.Why?”
“Welcome to Pensacola! Famous for being one of those places you pass on the way to somewhere else! Can I come with you? Please?”
“Welcome to Pensacola! Those were not gunshots, those were firecrackers.We celebrate Thanksgiving,Thursdays,Mondays and Easter with Fireworks”
There were more of course, all were rejected. Maybe because I offered my services for free?
I’ll be here all week,don’t forget to tip your waitress.
I would guess that the upper part of the word represents blue sky and lower part represents the aqua water. Not great but not bad either.
The “O” wave is also not bad. Overall it looks ok.
Just the tagline stinks and the fact that a local firm didn’t get the business is lame.
I’ll do all the marketing they want for 20k a month.
Someone give me Hayward’s email address!
You know for 38,000 dollars,( one time spending) I would have held a LOCAL contest, and ask the people who live here to come up with a really great logo, I always liked (city of five flags) But this (upside) logo pops about as much as a 3 day old flat coke.Very bad idea and even worse logo.
The wave logo is makes no sense!
The slogan is as bad as the logo… UPSIDE? I keep thinging of the phrrase “UPSIDE your head”, like to be hit in the head… and the others are right about the logo… the ‘O’ in Pensacola that is the focal point makes absolutely no sense… I could see if it was at least clever with the wave forming the state of Florida and the moon placed where Pensacola was located… but it does nothing… Can somebody please clarify the meaning of any of it?
I don’t know what that wave represents. There is no blue waves water in Pensacola it’s in the county. The yuppies must be pushing this. Most waters in the city are so polluted you can’t swim. The old theater truly couldn’t be making money for the investment. As soon as the ball team leaves contract or not it’s a looser. The Pensacola city citizens didn’t vote for or want it but got built anyway. UWF dropped out of the ballpark plan. Maby since the treatment plant is gone it will be blue water. Not.
The ‘wave’ graphic is TOO busy. If you want a wave, make a wave. The bubbles above the wave make it look like a peacocks head, and the ‘blue moon’ looks like a small bowling ball hitting the peacock on the head. The rest of the ‘O” looks like a muslim nation’s crescent moon. The fine line of the chosen font with the light colors on a white background lacks boldness, and make it difficult to even read the city’s name from a distance. “Upside of Florida” ??? Doesn’t make me want to go visit. If I saw this while tooking for a place to go for vacation, I would say… “NEXT!” and move on to another city. Poor design. It never should have made it past round one.
I totally agree with Carolyn & Taxpayer! This man is just full of GREAT NEW ideas! NOT!!!!
A $38,000 a month retainer is disgusting. And the fact they used a firm in Tallahassee, super disgusting. Plus, changing the parking on Palafox St (where you have to back in to park) awful, awful, awful.
Heyward needs to go..how about using that 1.4 million retainer for this “out of area” pr firm and actually improve Pensacola…Build a homeless shelter or an after school kids center…Something that actually is a benefit to the city…
There is something about the O in Pensacola I do not like.? I cannot put my finger on it just yet.
Kinda looks like a Hurricane in it.
Still don’t want anything to do with it!
This firm is on a $38,000 a month retainer. I don’t get that. Nor do I think ridding yourself of the mention of the “Five Flags” is a smart idea. I think the ‘five flags’ was noteworthy.
I watched the news coverage on this and how Mayor Hayward wants to push Pensacola as a great place for business growth and how our city has great professional/business resources. I agree with this, therefore; I was amazed to hear that a local Pensacola firm was not hired to promote his new slogan and image he wants to advertise for Pensacola. The contract went to a firm out of Tally…way to invest in selling. Should have used a firm in Pensacola.