Coordinator working to develop branding standards for town

BELCHERTOWN – Much like advertisements from the Super Bowl made an impression, Belchertown’s Creative Economy Coordinator seeks to brand the town’s public-facing materials.

The Select Board approved that E. Maude Haak-Frendscho, in conjunction with other committees, submit a release designer request for a proposal for branding for the town.

This RFP would allow the town to get a designer to make a template for guides and brochures for various uses for the town boards and committees.

In the meeting, Haak-Frendscho said there are recommendations to create consistent branding materials for the town for “small businesses, tourism, economic development goals and interested public information.”

The idea stemmed from a plan to develop an annual farm brochure with the Agricultural Commission and then expanded to include the creation of a template.

Haak-Frendscho said the template would allow “both flexibility for a range of uses while also giving consistency to the look and feel of the material in a way that will make it attractive for that variety of uses.”

Select Board member Peg Louraine asked if the form could be customized.

Haak-Frendscho said there could be customization from icons, colors or visuals that would distinguish between different groups but would have “shared visual language and flexibility for a range of media.”

Select Board member Lesa Lessard-Pearson emphasized the importance of Haak-Frendscho working with the Communications Committee to create the template.

“I feel uncomfortable about doing that unless you’re working in partnership with the Communication Committee. They’ve done a ton of work. I don’t want two different streams working on the same goals,” she said.

Louraine also added that she thinks it would be important to speak with the Belchertown Fair Committee.

Select Board member Ron Aponte asked Haak-Frendscho to explain the project's scope.

“This would not be the entire branding for all external communications,” she said. “This is for templates for guides and brochures.”

Lessard-Pearson asked Haak-Frendscho to create a document explaining the branding standards. Select Board Chair Ed Boscher said this part of the process is the first step.

“Obviously, there is a lot more stuff that needs to happen before this gets final approval,” he said. “But I think it makes sense as Maude is looking for a vote tonight.”