Ironwood mayor calls new brand 'big step forward'

IRONWOOD - With great pleasure, the Ironwood City Commission approved the city's new brand and logo Friday afternoon at Depot Park.

In front of more than 30 people, Ironwood Economic Development Commission member Gina (Jacquart) Thorsen said the tag-line of the new brand is, "Ironwood, find your north.

"Find a path yet to be taken both literally and figuratively," she said. "Find a new shop, a great restaurant or new new favorite trail. Find a community group and make new friends. Find an interest in the history this great community was founded on and in the arts that are breathing new light into it today.

"Find a local need that is not being met and start a new business. Find your purpose, your niche, your calling," she said.

Shannon Guild, of brand creator Papermoon, helped create Ironwood's new brand. Guild is from Mercer, Wis., and said working on the project was personal for her because she spent lots of time in Ironwood growing up.

She told Ironwood Community Development Director Michael Brown and Assistant Development Director Tim Erickson to move the curtain and unveil the new logo.

Guild said every element of the logo has meaning behind it. "You're branding the people," she said.

At the top of the logo, there is a circle. Guild said inside the circle there are hills, trees, water and the "path ahead."

The circle is symbolic, she said, because it contains everything inside it.

"It's all right here. All in Ironwood," she said.

Guild said colors of the logo are important and tie in the rich history of "this great city." The colors chosen are steel blue and iron ore to honor the rich industrial history.

She said the font chosen for the words "Ironwood" and "Michigan" is modern.

The message, "Find your north," Guild said is written in a casual font to reflect the "approachable nature of the people that live here."

Mayor Annette Burchell said the new brand is part of the city's comprehensive plan accepted in July, 2014, by the city commission.

"Ironwood has a very well researched guiding document for our city," she said. "The design of this plan involved city input from hundreds of residents, businesses, institutions and community groups."

She thanked those who participated in developing the plan. She said it will guide the city over the next 20 years.

Burchell said the strength of document is not in its publication alone.

"We can't place the plan on a shelf and let it collect dust," she said. "To realize the vision and opportunity spelled out in the plan, we have to continue moving forward and accomplish our goals to better our city. We're here today to take another big step forward to make Ironwood an even better place.

"We have to work hard and strengthen our community to retain residents and young people, businesses and many more opportunities," Burchell said.

City Manager Scott Erickson said the new logo will be implemented into everything the city does.

"We are going to live and breathe it. You are going to see it all around town," he said. "It's going to be used on the city letterhead. It's going to be on our city vehicles. We'll have shirts. We'll have hats. "

City commissioner Kim Corcoran made the motion to accept the new brand and logo and the other commissioners approved.

Afterward, residents shopped at the Farmers Market at the park.