Members of a committee that helped develop a logo and tagline for Saco – Saco Curriculum Coordinator Julie Smyth, City Councilor Marshall Archer, City of Saco Marketing and Communications Specialist Emily Roy, Saco Main Street Treasurer Bette Brunswick and Saco Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Erika Dube – at the unveiling of the logo at Saco City Hall on Wednesday. LIZ GOTTHELF/Journal Tribune

SACO — City officials in Saco have unveiled a new tagline they believe sums up in a nutshell, the essence of Saco.

A new logo and tagline were developed by a committee of city officials and community members, who worked with Marshall Communications and designlab, a graphic design and marketing agency.

“This is an important first step showing that a community has a clear brand that is consistent and uniform,” said City of Saco Marketing and Communications Specialist Emily Roy, at a launching for the new logo and tagline at City Hall Auditorium on Wednesday.

The tagline “friendly by nature,” is printed in thin script font under the two-line phrase “City of Saco” in a new logo.  The word Saco is printed in a large, thick, letters, making up the second line of the three-line logo. The letter “o” in Saco is printed in a swirl that represents an ocean wave.

Roy said the logo and tagline reflect the city’s many assets including the beach, Saco River, trails and parks as well as city’s nature of being age friendly, business friendly, dog friendly, bike friendly, environmentally friendly and recreationally friendly.

She said the marketing committee wanted a log that also represented the community, as well as city departments, boards, committees and commissions. Roy said the logo was “clean” and “fresh without being trendy.” The logo can be overlaid on many different backgrounds and can be made larger or smaller without compromising the integrity of the design, Roy said.

“The font in the logo is unique but will maintain its relevance and appeal over time,” said Roy.

The logo is featured on the city’s social media accounts and on new t-shirts for the city’s recreation department and will be put on signs greeting people in the community and city vehicles. The logo is designed to target a broad market, appealing to business owners, families, tourists and people of all ages, said Roy.

The tagline and logo, including the research, meetings, design, and deliverables cost the city of Saco $5,000, said Roy.

Justin Chenette, president of local economic development group Saco Main Street, District 31 State Senator and digital advertising executive at the Journal Tribune said having a strong brand is important in attracting businesses downtown and new families to “live, work and play” in the city.

He said the tagline “Friendly by nature” illustrated the “true community spirit” that is seen city-wide in Saco.

City Councilor Marshall Archer, who was on the marketing committee, said he liked the logo because it was professional, yet highlighted the recreational aspects of the city, portraying “a little bit of formality” and “a little bit of fun.”

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected]