Work for Jones County Tourism

When I started working on a simple display banner project for Jones County Tourism (JCT), I didn’t know I’d be a catalyst for a makeover.

Bob was looking for a banner that retracts for easy storage. I remembered one used for New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music, which was/is a traveling Museum on Mainstreet program through the Smithsonian. Long story short: retractable banners are neat.

We decided on a size, and the collecting of photos began. While deciding on an arrangement, I had several pieces of JCT literature and items that had the JCT logo on them. There were several versions of the logo. No. No. No. One logo used consistently. Not several used randomly, scattershot; it does nothing but dilute the identity.

This one is going in the local Jones County Vacation Guide.

 

They have a brochure labeled “PASSPORT.” I didn’t do it, and had I been responsible, I should’ve been flogged. The theme was a good, but the execution … meh. Can I do better? We’ll see. They still have several hundred, and as money is tight, they’d rather use ‘em than junk ‘em. (Ah, budgets.) Eventually, I think I’ll have a crack at it.

 The one on the left is for Our Iowa magazine, hopefully the one

on the right goes in The Iowan.

 

Going off the passport idea, I thought about a passport stamp and putting it on variety of photos in a series of simple ads. Some ads would ultimately evolve from a current design with multiple pics.

 

Quick note on the banners ... They've not quite done yet. Sometimes during a project, you realize you can either get it done, or get it done right. Time isn't too much of a factor in this, and as spring is slowly making its way here -- seriously, it was trying to snow just a few days ago -- the decision was made to wait and stage a few shots after things warm up.