Tishomingo Development Team Committee reveals new brand for Tishomingo

I would like to share exciting news regarding a project that the Tishomingo Development Team’s Business Involvement/Community Promotion Committee has been working on for some time. It started informally probably a year or two ago in a conversation between myself and Luke Holmes, First Baptist Church pastor, co-owner of Sara’s Flowers & Gifts, and quite the marketing guru.

We began by trying to solve the problem of increasing foot traffic to East Main Street, something that we both agree will be helped by the new sidewalks. However, we also decided that signage was needed and TDT approved for payment of several a-frame signs encouraging pedestrians to, “Keep walking for more shopping!”. They look great! But the heart of the issue has always been that there really hasn’t been a consistent way to market and therefore, promote, Tishomingo and all there is to see and do.

The chamber has done a great deal to build up an audience via the Facebook page and community groups like ‘Tishomingo, OK’, has designed print media and partnered with Murray State College to participate in the Oklahoma Department of Tourism’s brochure fulfillment program, and ensures that business and event profiles on the top-rated tourism site, Travelok.com, are updated regularly. The Chickasaw Nation and Murray State College have done their part to promote Tishomingo; the Sentinel has its wide reach; and so on. Again, there really hasn’t been a consistent way for “outsiders” to recognize and associate what we have going for us with Tishomingo. There is no brand if you will.

Once again, accomplishment in an area that needs attention is made successful by those that ask, “What is the problem and how can we fix it?” and then they go for it. About a month and a half ago, Luke, Misty Chapman, Shelley Boyd and I came together and started brainstorming. What does Tishomingo mean to us? What does it mean to those that aren’t from here? How is it recognized and how do we want it to be recognized? We sent what we had come up with to a gentleman that Misty knew who designs logos and the image (below/above/right/left) is what was excitedly agreed on. The TDT as a whole was able to look at the first draft and make comments. Luke did a great job explaining what it meant and why this works.

It represents many things. First, that we are in a beautiful environment, “God’s Country”, with abundant wildlife, incredible sunsets, and plenty of nature to explore. The water could represent any number of our local waterways; Pennington, Blue, Washita, Texoma, etc. The fisherman is representative of the great trout fishing at Blue River and its inclusion on the Oklahoma Fishing Trail. The entire scene could also be set at the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge. The arrows and established date are a nod to our history as the historic capital of the Chickasaw Nation. We also wanted to make sure there was no confusion that we are Oklahoma’s Tishomingo and not Mississippi’s.

So there you have it. A beautiful brand that can be used to market and promote the city. We have two versions, one with Visit on top and one without, so we have something that can be used by the city and one for tourism specifically. The one thing this group wanted to make clear is that this logo is for anyone. We did this as a community service to the city, its businesses, and citizens. Luke is going to keep the original source files, and anyone can request them from him at any time. Businesses can put this on shirts, mugs, key chains, etc. Our local organizations can use it on their materials. You will start seeing it a lot! We hope that it grows on you and is something you can be proud to wear and distribute.

-Jordyn Frazier, Executive Director, JCCC