Developing a new brand for Cromwell could cost about $66,000 but that was far cheaper than the ''hundreds of thousands'' such a project would cost if it was put out to tender, the Cromwell Community Board heard yesterday.
In a report to the board, Central Otago District Council's brand manager Shirley Howden said a range of images was used to promote the Cromwell area, including Lake Dunstan and the fruit sculpture, but these did not represent a ''brand''.
''A brand is more than simply a logo.
''The sense of belonging to a district, the pride in which communities develop themselves, is the essence of what is meant by the term brand,'' she said.
Community groups and industry sectors had expressed interest in seeing a single brand developed and it was timely for that to happen.
The process was to hold a workshop (estimated cost of $20,000) with the process and outcomes to be managed by brand strategist Brian Richards, who developed ''A World of Difference'' brand for the council.
The next steps were to develop the brand story ($20,000), develop a brand design ($18,000), register the trademark ($1700), photography ($5000) and launching the brand ($1800).
Ms Howden said the project could be funded from the board's Cromwell Promotions account.
Board member and district councillor Nigel McKinlay said it was ''a significant sum of money''.
Council community services manager and Tourism Central Otago general manager Anne Pullar said different groups were highlighting different messages about the town and it was important to single out the unique components of the Cromwell basin.
Using a local designer would cut costs, and some of the groundwork had already been done in the branding of the district, she said.
''If this project went out to tender, you'd be looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars."
Board member Tom Pinckney said the brand would give all tourism interests in the district some guidelines for marketing.
''I think Cromwell is ready to have its own identity. We're ready to go as a town,'' board member Glen Christiansen said.
The workshop should be held in early July, Ms Pullar said.
