Aug 22, 2016

Allentown, Signs of Our Time

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Some of you may have noticed that all the parks are getting new matching signs. The wood carved and other classic signs of the former classic parks, are being replaced by unimaginative, painted signs, which promise to have a short life span. However, beside the separate park name, they are all the same,  a rather ugly green design. It's called branding, and I suppose the new park director must have seen the uninspired idea in some national park magazine. It should be no surprise that Cedar Beach Pool has been out of commission now for two years. Most of the time no one is working on the project, while occasionally, two men can be seen there. Amazing what a mayor from out of town, with a series of park directors from out of town, and a sleeping Trexler Trust, can undo. With the stock ideas from the National Park Magazine, who needs those classic parks from Allentown's past? Put up a new sign, schedule as many events as possible, show a movie, go to a national convention, and that's how you build your resumé.


ADDENDUM: Pawlowski has now hired a company to brand the city. They will conduct a study for public input, and other dog and pony nonsense. Allentown, a city which truly never stops wasting your tax dollars.

4 comments:

  1. Maybe the city should commission a study about the feasibility of doing more studies.

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  2. So the young promoters of Allentown hire an out of town branding company to sell the brand? Amazing since there are lots of good local, companies that do that work.

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  3. Bruce did a great job hand crafting the old signs its a shame to see them go. Maybe parks will save them so the next mayor can put them back up.

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  4. Bingo, Scott.

    I was in corporate life a long time, and I *really* got tired of all the drivel about "brand."

    I always liked to say, "Instead of tweaking away at brand, how 'bout we worry about making sure our execution and, by extension, our *reputation* is sound?

    Allentown is not going to get any better because of a pretty logo and color scheme...

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