The Village of Spring Lake is giving its image a makeover with a new logo and tagline. 
Christine Burns, Village of Spring Lake Manager, puts a sticker of the community's new logo on her car.
The new logo features visual elements reflective of the village’s three distinguishing attributes: water-based recreation, nature, and pathways. 

Two large sails comprise the primary graphic element. Nature and paths are represented within the negative space to draw the viewer further in, symbolically encouraging visitors to come into Spring Lake rather than pass through. 

In a nod to the community’s distinctive heritage, the original tagline of “Where Natures Smiles For Seven Miles” has been updated to the more action-oriented “Discover Where Nature Smiles.” 

“While the village has been successful in establishing itself as a first-class community full of residential, business, and recreational opportunities, its existing logo did not reflect this multifaceted achievement,” says Christine Burns, Village Manager.

DDA initiative

The newly unveiled village logo and tagline are the result of a rebranding and marketing initiative launched by the Downtown Development Authority (DDA). 

“With all of the economic development activities currently happening in our downtown area, we wanted to transform the perception of Spring Lake as a ‘pass-through’ town and help it become a ‘top-of-mind’ destination,” Burns adds.

In May 2019, the DDA solicited proposals for refreshing the village brand to help raise awareness for what makes the area such a desirable place to live, do business, and visit. 

Steering committee

After reviewing numerous responses, the DDA selected local creative marketing agency Concept A Creative to move forward with the work. A 12-person steering committee of community residents and business leaders, representing various demographics, was formed to help guide the village brand’s evolution. 

The Village of Spring Lake's new logo will be available as a sticker for residents to put on car windows or other places.In addition, a survey was sent to more than 120 community residents to gain their insights on the unique and differentiating characteristics of the village. This 4-month-long collaborative effort also revealed that the village’s target visitor audience is active and outdoor-oriented, highly social, and values diverse experiences — behaviors that played a significant role in influencing the new identity’s design. 

“This charming lake community has such an abundance of natural beauty and vibrant experiences to offer,” says DDA Director Angela Stanford-Butler. “We wanted a logo to symbolize this and also convey the welcoming and relaxed vibe of the area. After reviewing numerous concepts, we collectively felt this particular logo most accurately represents the lifestyle quality we take pride in. It’s also an identity that we feel will remain relevant for years to come.” 

Phasing in

The new logo, which was approved by the Village Council on Nov. 18, 2019, will replace the former logo in a phased approach but will be visible on village signage, letterhead, business cards, and more beginning mid-September 2020. 

The DDA was established by the Village Council in 1980 in an effort to “halt property deterioration and increase property tax valuation where possible in the Village of Spring Lake’s downtown business district, to eliminate the causes of that deterioration and to promote economic growth of the Village of Spring Lake’s downtown business district.” 

The DDA’s ongoing mission is to construct public improvements required to attract private investment and promote retail, commercial, and industrial business activity in the Village of Spring Lake Central Business District development area. 

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