The Municipality of South Bruce Brand
Purpose of Project
Historically known as the “Gateway to Bruce,” South Bruce is a charming municipality located in the southeastern corner of Bruce County, Ontario. Nestled amongst some of the region’s best agricultural lands and delivering small-town hospitality with modern amenities, South Bruce has grown to become a beloved home to over 5,000 residents. Its scenic roadways, warm-hearted population, and unique generational businesses help attract visitors and contribute to the Municipality’s abundance.
While South Bruce’s existing brand had served its purpose, it required updating to remain competitive with nearby destinations. Hamilton- and Ottawa-based marketing agency Cinnamon Toast was hired to execute a series of stakeholder engagement activities to better understand the entire Municipality’s — as well as each community’s — interests, priorities, and vision, and then translate the findings into a main municipal brand, three community sub-brands (for Formosa, Mildmay, and Teeswater), and three community façade improvement guides.
Effectiveness / Meeting Objectives
Engagement activities included a digital public survey, one-on-one interviews, three open houses (one in each community), and a public vote on three brand concepts.
Findings unveiled a set of core themes that helped to develop a unified brand identity for the Municipality: Homegrown Friendliness, Collaborative Care, Deep Agricultural Roots, Forward-Looking Vision, Inclusive Opportunity, and the Serenity of Open Spaces. These themes, and the values underscoring each of them, encapsulated what makes South Bruce unique among neighbouring municipalities, and was used to design a beautifully cohesive brand identity.
The new brand identity is a subtle nod to the concept of being “open for business” and the Municipality’s welcoming community spirit. Farmlands within a leaf shape signify South Bruce’s agricultural roots, while a building enveloped by a door shape alludes to the growth of industry, businesses, and residents alike. Finally, the church within a gothic window shape represents tradition and a significant community moniker, all coming together to reflect the three main communities of South Bruce: Formosa, Mildmay, and Teeswater. Each of these communities has its own sub-brand and colour palette that shares a consistent look and feel with the main municipal “mother” brand.
Ultimately, the identity and its sub-brands celebrate the unique character of each community, while demonstrating how they are all unified in South Bruce.
Challenges & Changes Made
Challenge: The Municipality is a “community of communities.” Each community has a distinct history and “vibe,” and yet unity was an important project objective. The key challenge was finding a way to celebrate each community’s distinctiveness while ensuring all communities had a “South Bruce” look and feel. Each community also had long-held monikers (For example: Teeswater was known as “tractor town,” while Mildmay was branded as Bavarian in the past).
Changes Made: The new brand considers these roots, and the distinctiveness of each place, while still celebrating the Municipality as a whole and poising it for significant growth.
Target Audience
- Municipal Staff & Members of Council — Municipal staff members, including office, admin, and operational staff, as well as Mayor, Council Members, Clerks, Committee Members, etc.
- Residents — Males and females skewing both older and younger in age who are living within South Bruce communities.
- Local Businesses & Entrepreneurs — Unique, independent, family-owned and operated, and/or entrepreneurial business owners who operate within and offer services to South Bruce.
- Tourists & Visitors — Out-of-towners who visit South Bruce for short and long-term stays to explore unique businesses and the area’s assets such as natural springs, etc.
