Oklahoma’s New Logo, Slogan Not Too Imaginable
The State of Oklahoma unveiled a new brand, logo and slogan this past week. The year-long project came at a cost of about $200,000. The fee was paid to an international branding firm that had worked on rebranding efforts of several ‘Fortune 500’ companies.
The new logo consists of five shapes of red, orange, green, light blue and dark blue encircling a white star which serves as the center, followed by the word ‘Oklahoma’ in all caps. The ‘K’ has an extended outer lower part of the letter, extending the kerning slightly. The new slogan being used with the campaign is “Imagine That.”
The logo would be great if it were for something like an energy or aeronautics company, but to me it isn’t that representative of our state. The design is supposed to represent our state and the colors our heritage including earth, sky, water, agriculture and forest. The group said the creation of various shapes and colors surrounding the white star represents Oklahoma being the hub of America.
As a true Oklahoman, I don’t see it. What I see is some odd shapes of varying colors surrounding a white star that makes me think of Texas and the Texas flag. The shapes look like opened books laying face down, giving me the impression we are trying to study or read but keep getting interrupted. The font used in the word ‘Oklahoma’ is plain and boring, and I am not sure what is meant by the extended ‘K,” unless it is supposed to look like a leg and boot in the stirrup of someone riding a horse.
Then there is the newly unveiled slogan – “Imagine That.” I don’t get it. What message is it trying to send to draw visitors to our state? While the slogan isn’t negative in nature or connotation, it’s just not – well – imaginable.
State officials said nearly 200 public relations and marketing officials worked together to come up with the phrase. Sadly, I was not one of the 200 selected to be part of the team. I wish I could have been, and I wish I could have selected other colleagues I personally know, because I can promise we would have come up with something better than what was presented.
What bothers me is it doesn’t sum up what we are trying to be and it doesn’t catch the attention of the target audience – potential visitors and investors from other areas. Supposedly, the term was developed to be short, memorable, and sound like something Will Rogers would have said.
While the message is short and concise, it isn’t clear. In fact, it’s about as clear as mud. If a true Okie with Native American and Oklahoma DNA like me is confused by it all, then I can’t ‘imagine’ (pun intended) what others must glean from the phrase and its accompanying logo. Other states have clear, concise slogans that are immediately understood and connected to the state’s resources or history. Texas is like a whole other country. With its beautiful mountains and ski resorts, Utah is life elevated. Hawaii does have the islands of aloha.
Here in Oklahoma, we spend nearly a quarter of a million dollars on a slogan that does not represent our Native American heritage, our farming and ranching roots, or our beautiful lakes and rivers. At least it isn’t as bad as South Dakota’s campaign against the use of methamphetamine which is “Meth: We’re on it.”
The slogan does make me think of a Will Rogers saying though – “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” Imagine that.
Randy Gibson is the CEO of RDG Communications Group, LLC, and the former director of the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce and the Texas State Rifle Association.
