Great Destinotions was hired by Longview Partnership, a group comprised of the Chamber of Commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Downtown Development, to edit and wordsmith slogans for the city of Longview.

City Description

Nestled deep in the heart of East Texas, Longview is the county seat of Gregg County. It is located about an hour east of Shreveport, two hours west of Dallas, and three hours north of Houston. With a city population of nearly 80,000 and a regional population of approximately 300,000, Longview is a bustling center of shopping, dining, and other visitor attractions. As the hub of outdoor recreation, Longview is surrounded by stunning lakes and the majestic national forests of the Piney Woods region. The people of Longview are known for being hospitable, helpful, gracious, positive, authentic, and family oriented.

Project Background

In early 2007, Longview hired another agency to conduct a brand analysis and develop a slogan for the city. When it was discovered that the slogan created for Longview was already trademarked by another tourism association, the city re-grouped and began its search for a new agency.

We contacted the mayor’s office and suggested that Longview Partnership:

• Hire a local East Texas branding agency

• Implement a program enabling Longview residents to participate in the branding process and submit their own slogan ideas

• Bring Great Destinotions on board to polish and refine the final slogan selections

Project Description

The city of Longview took our suggestion to heart. The local agency hired by Longview Partnership developed a “Brand Longview” site and received more than 2,000 slogan submissions from residents throughout the region. After paring down the list to around 80 slogans, the agency submitted them to Great Destinotions for reworking, editing, and polishing.

First, Great Destinotions evaluated and identified the top 20 slogans that best reflected the city’s brand promise and personality. Then, it developed alternate ways of expressing some of them in order to strengthen their positioning and amplify their message.

Longview Partnership’s branding committee reviewed the 20 slogans submitted by Great Destinotions and culled them down to its top five picks. In this last phase, Great Destinotions provided a story line and rationale for the final picks and conducted a preliminary conflict-check on the U.S. Patent & Trademark site (www.uspto.gov).

The “Brand Longview” site was reactivated and Longview residents had an opportunity to vote for one of three slogans that best represented the city and surrounding region.

Tagline: “Real East Texas Living”

The winning slogan, Real East Texas Living, promises a visitor experience that is authentic and vital. The people here are friendly and outgoing, treat each other well, and are hospitable to those who visit. The region is the real deal: it exudes a relaxed country charm and a natural down-home beauty. It is confident and content — and conveys a true sense of acceptance and belonging. Central to Longview's brand identity is its East Texas heritage, an area widely appreciated for its scenic beauty, recreational amenities, and gracious way of life. Longview is the living embodiment of the heartfelt warmth for which East Texas is known and loved. Finally, Longview is an interconnected and thriving community — a social and retail hub that continues to grow and attract people and businesses to the region.