To the Editor:
I’ve heard the TAC committee has decided to change the Similkameen brand.
For some years our society and others have been using the carefully researched and mutually agreed to SVPS brand to jointly promote the essences and entities of our valley.
Resources were assigned to the project by all provincial and first nation authorities of the valley. Stationary and signage was financed and changed to reflect the new cooperative philosophy. The political strength it created within the board of directors of the RDOS gave the Similkameen valley more influence in crucial budget and policy decisions. The cost of a brand change will negatively affect our society, and the municipality of Keremeos and all others who have supported the concept brand marketing.
We will need to change stationary and signage and notify our provincial, federal, international and other contacts of the change.
We would prefer that this spending be used to properly promote our current registered brand so it appears on the excellent new award winning products that encompass the quality and essence of our valley. Our brand clearly reflects the meandering silvery Similkameen River as the primary entity that affects the products services and peoples of our valley; as was identified at great expense in your own branding workshop and at several previous meetings and projects in recent years.
So please don’t fix what isn’t broke; just give it a little oil, it’s not run-in yet; the best is yet to come. Thanks.
Joe Littlefield, Olalla, for Similkameen Trails