Engage Your Imagination in a City of Unlimited Possibilities Introducing Toronto Unlimited - A Dynamic New Brand for Toronto
Torontonians and visitors have spoken - they say Toronto is a city of imagination that celebrates humanity and embraces individuality, while providing unparalleled economic opportunities. How they view Toronto led to today’s unveiling of a single brand identity for the city as ‘Toronto Unlimited’, a premier destination for global travel and business investment.
For the Toronto Branding Project, today’s announcement at the Historic Distillery District was the culmination of a 13-month process with over 4,500 local survey responses and 230-plus in-depth interviews and roundtable discussions with key brand stakeholders (leaders in the leisure and consumer travel and convention business, as well as academics and public sector organizations). In addition, 14 focus groups were conducted in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.
The Toronto Branding Project is a partnership initiative of Tourism Toronto - the Toronto Convention and Visitors Association; the City of Toronto; the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Recreation; and the Toronto City Summit Alliance, a coalition of Toronto civic leaders. Together, the partners have outlined a common agenda and plan for Toronto Unlimited.
“We are unveiling a fresh new way of expressing that special Toronto quality that vacationers and convention-goers from around the world find so attractive,” said Ontario Tourism and Recreation Minister Jim Bradley. “The possibilities here in Toronto truly are unlimited.”
A total of $4 million was invested in the project to cover consumer research, brand development and the launch of marketing efforts. The initial investment of $2 million from Tourism Toronto’s Destination Marketing Fee was combined with contributions of $1 million from the Province of Ontario, $500,000 from the Federal Government and $500,000 from the Toronto City Summit Alliance’s corporate partners. (…)
“Toronto Unlimited is the story of our city. It is also the story of the creative and imaginative energies of our people that create the experiences visitors come here to enjoy,” said Bruce MacMillan, President & CEO, Tourism Toronto. “We have a collective responsibility to sustain and enrich the Toronto experience. Action, after all, speaks louder than words, or for that matter, logos and taglines. That’s why the ultimate storytellers of the Toronto brand must be Torontonians.”
(…)
Source:
Toronto.ca
Toronto unlimited
Carola Hopp, 27. Jun. 05
I am quite aghast at the investment that resulted in such a pedestrian slogan. And the typeface… a simple variation on Bayer Sans which evokes something of the Avant Garde (type pun intended) if I were still living in the 60s. For shame. I've seen much better type treatment on soap boxes.
In addition, the city will just have to contend with all the other “unlimited” monikers—Ducks Unlimited, X-Men Unlimited, etc.—that may still hold higher brand recognition when this campaign is all said and done. The predecessors are endless (more sarcastic punnery), as our valiant city tries to differentiate itself with something so expansive yet so bland all at the same time.
I hold onto a small glimmer of hope that the dullness of this identity won't lend the city to continue to be typecast afterwards. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)
Victor Chan, June 29, 2005 08:33 AM
Oh god.
THIS is what you think represents our city??!
It's pedestrian beyond all reckoning.
The slogan is weak, and the actual execution is deplorable!
Nice gradient!!
Did a high school student design this? (no offense to high school students)
Sorry to be so snarky, but I live here and I love this city, flaws and all, and I don't see one iota of Toronto's vibrance reflected here.
It's insipid. It looks like an aborted first draft.
I despise the font modification. It's immature, a beaurocrats idea of “cool”.
Did an actual designer get anywhere near this?
If one did, you might want to call the suicide hotline for them right now… the shame must be killing them.
Not impressed, June 29, 2005 07:52 PM
For those keeping score back at the foundries, 'Toronto' is composed of mostly Bayer Sans and the Ts are just modifications of Variex. And 'unlimited' seems to be verbatim Futura. I would have hoped for typographic consistency or, heaven forbid, something customized, not pimped or bastardized. This can't even approach Milton Glaser's sensibility to the logo he created for NYC.
Victor Chan, June 29, 2005 08:02 PM
Ok, I dont live in Toronto, granted. But I saw this logo and i immediately thought “wow.” I immediately felt what they wanted to say about Toronto. I think it is modern, elegant, minimalist, and very appropriate, personally. To me, as far as it being “pedestrian,” I think that is partly the goal: for it to be accessible by a lot of different people, but still contemporary. That's the balance you need with city, regional, or even country branding.
Again, I dont live there, but I love the work itself. And I've been in branding for 15 years. Whoever did the design is very talented. The design on the logo mark is a very nice use of a gradient that works well to represent “unlimited” — I saw it and felt what they were trying to say immediately.
I can only wish we had some designers as good as the one who did that mark.
So: I guess we all have our opinions, no?
PBS
peter, July 2, 2005 05:15 AM
Comments
Write a comment