Through our work with Jacksonville area stakeholders and firsthand experience in the region, we have crafted the following brand positioning and brand promise statements, logo and slogan concepts for final testing.
Please read the Brand Positioning and Brand Promises before viewing the additional materials. Make note of whether these concepts truly reflect the spirit of the Jacksonville area and whether they will motivate others to visit, live or work in the Jacksonville area.
Once you’ve made your choices, reply to the original email to cast your vote. Please include the reason why you feel your top choice for logo and tagline is the best choice.
Remember — the concepts you choose should best represent the brand promise of the Jacksonville area.
The Jacksonville, IL, area has plenty of stories just waiting to be told. It’s our challenge to not only tell the incredible history of Jacksonville and Morgan County, but also to represent the area’s desire to move forward into the future while simultaneously honoring the past. Visitors will find a spacious downtown square that seamlessly blends historical charm with modern amenities in addition to stunning, 19th-century architecture scattered throughout the city and wide-open spaces for hiking, biking, and fishing. New residents will find a welcoming, supportive community that offers small-town charm but remains connected to larger metro areas, in addition to world-class centers of education, top-shelf sports facilities, and a superb hospital. Business owners see the Jacksonville area as bursting with opportunity, following in the path of businesses that have already found decades of success here.
In the Jacksonville, IL, area, uncover the legends that helped define life in Central IL as we know it today. Tales of Illinois’ frontier days reverberate throughout the halls at the remarkably preserved Gov. Duncan Mansion, as do the harrowing accounts of people escaping the chains of slavery and those who aided their quest for freedom at the city’s Underground Railroad sites. A legendary past flawlessly blends with new investment taking place around our gorgeous downtown square, where new, independently owned businesses occupy storefronts that have stood over the city for generations — monuments to a storied past now fostering a thriving present and an exciting future. The area’s brightest artistic minds are highlighted — as are those who came before — in a stunning, Second Empire style mansion at the David Strawn Art Gallery. The latest blockbusters fill audience’s minds with excitement and wonder in the historic Illinois Theater, the city’s longest-running cinema. Live music and local flavors fill the air at Waters Edge Winery & Bistro. The melodic sounds of the Jacksonville Symphony Society and performances from the campus-run Illinois College TheatreWorks engross captivated audiences. Alluring flavors occupy repurposed spaces, from woodfired pizza in a refurbished storefront to locally sourced American fare at the city’s historic train depot. Experience the down-home, rustic charm of the agritourism destinations growing fresh blueberries and pumpkins, an indicator of the farming heritage that fuels our local economy and helps feed the nation. Feeling adventurous? The city’s outdoor spaces at Nichols Park and Lake Jacksonville provide plenty of common ground to stretch out, bike, or hike through the natural, Central Illinois beauty — as well as some of the best bass fishing in the state. And in nearby Meredosia, nature lovers get up close and personal with majestic bald eagles soaring high above the Illinois River. No matter what your idea of a good time is, you’ll find that creating your own experiences comes as easily as discovering those that came before.
Looking to make your mark in a right-sized community as resilient as it is authentic? The legacies we pass down to our children have the power to instill a sense of conviction, community, and pride. In the long history of the Jacksonville, IL, area, we’ve been molded by such trailblazers whose ingenuity came to define the region, evidenced in the magnificent, stately homes standing over State Street leading to our gorgeous town square. While steeped in history, Jacksonville isn’t a city that dwells on its past — here, you’ll find a city committed to a brighter future, from inclusive education for all children to employment opportunities across a wide spectrum of economic sectors. From art galleries to county fairs to downtown festivals, entertainment options are never at a shortage, nor are the occasions to enjoy the great outdoors at Nichols Park or Lake Jacksonville. When you make a home in Jacksonville, you write your name among the pioneers who came before to forge a new legacy.
Bring your vision to life in a community supports and rallies behind you. Businesses thrive in the Jacksonville, IL, region. After all, our businesses are just as much a part of our communities as the residents who work for them, from large-scale, industrial manufacturers to small, independently owned boutiques to farms that have been passed down from generation to generation. Here, you’ll find workspace is as varied as the businesses that make a home here — refurbish a classic storefront casting shadows on a historic square or explore wide-open space waiting to be developed. Our educational institutions promise a skilled, highly trained workforce to set your business up for success. Manage your business operations seamlessly with the city’s broadband access. Stay connected with large, metropolitan to rest of the United States and the world via Interstate 72 with nearby air freight service. When you locate your business in the Jacksonville area, you join a pantheon of economic trailblazers who forged a new path for the city, taking up their mantle and carrying on their legacy for a new generation. Now it’s time to join a business community that is teaming with life — our citizens and leadership will welcome you with open arms.
Do you embrace the competitive spirit that lives in us all? In the Jacksonville, IL, area, we live for the thrill of athletic endeavors, from our kids’ youth baseball games to NCAA Div. III football. But don’t just watch from the sidelines — take the field yourself at our state-of-the-art athletic complex, where the Future Champions of baseball and softball begin their journey to the big leagues. Revel in heart-pounding, full-throttle action at the city’s half-mile dirt track. Play a round — or two — at the city’s beautiful, spacious golf courses. And while you’re here, explore all the area has to offer, from delectable eateries you won’t find anywhere else to unique, independently owned shops that promise a rare find unlike any other. Take a timeout in our outdoor spaces like Nichols Park, Lake Jacksonville, and nearby Meredosia, where eagles soar and the fishing is out of this world. Who knows — you may even just fall in love and want to extend your stay beyond extra innings.
