The City of Welland Brand

Purpose of Project

Welland is a growing waterfront city that many know as the namesake of the Welland Canal. In pursuit of its strategic priorities — and as it prepares for new levels of population growth — the City needed to position itself as unlike any other in the Region, a task that was underpinned by the development of a revitalized brand identity. 

Effectiveness / Meeting Objectives

To develop Welland’s brand identity, Hamilton- and Ottawa-based marketing agency Cinnamon Toast engaged officials and community members through a digital survey, interviews, and focus groups. Insights from these sessions revealed that the community desired to highlight unique features like the canal and the City’s green spaces while also focusing on sports and recreation. Welland’s resilience, job opportunities, strong sense of community, relaxed atmosphere, and welcoming environment were common themes.

Welland’s new, dynamic brand identity captures the essence of the City, taking inspiration from the waterway that energizes Welland as it continues to evolve toward an ambitious, smart, and thriving future. It is designed to work seamlessly across platforms, marketing initiatives, and community engagement activities. The brand guide provides clear direction for effective communication, while the visual system generates curiosity. The logo concept’s bold “W” shape reflects the fluidity of water, the connection between communities, and the theory of movement and constant evolution.

City staff report that enthusiasm around the brand is growing and palpable. An entire branded clothing storefront has proven popular, and more staff are wearing Welland clothing on dress-down days than ever before. The City’s HR department has also seen upticks in booth visits and applications at job fairs due to the brand and the City standing out much more than before.

Challenges & Changes Made

Challenge: One of the key challenges in the brand development process was the attachment that segments of the community had to long-held monikers and sentiments about the City — one was its nickname “The Rose City,” and the other was “Bridge 13,” a lift bridge that travels over the Welland Canal and which the City’s main street passes over. Bridge 13 was actually the previous logo’s main icon.
Changes Made: Ultimately, we had to assess our stakeholders’ attachment to these items during engagement and compare their relevance against the City’s strategic goals for the future. In the end, we landed on not including either the moniker or the lift bridge in the final brand identity, as it would tie Welland to a past that has largely been moved on from — and inhibit the City’s growth.

Challenge: The first round of brand concepts didn’t hit the mark with the project team, as they felt the concepts were perhaps too safe and/or traditional because of the use of the waterway as a motif. The project team felt strongly about removing the waterway; however, feedback on our digital public survey was to use it.
Changes Made: After two rounds of revisions, stakeholders approved the final concept. It’s a very progressive brand identity that pushes the envelope for municipalities across Canada while still depicting Welland’s beautiful waterway.

Target Audience

• Residents who call (or will call) Welland home.
• City Staff/Council/Committees/BIAs who govern or guide key initiatives in Welland.
• Entrepreneurs & business owners who would like to unlock the potential of Welland.
• Tourists & visitors who seek unique outdoor recreation opportunities.

The brand launch video can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePzigTuF5fs