Tag: Paris Brand

For over a decade, the Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce recommended a vision vs  a brand.

We’ve known, and repeatedly put in writing, that “Paris needs a vision, a theme, and the protocols to make it a highly desired destination for a large, identified segment of the market.”

What the city, the local edc, the visitor’s and convention group, and what used to be the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce came up with is a brand that gives a new meaning to “Happy Days Are Here Again.”

Thankfully, the Paris Texas Chamber was not invited to the party where the decision to blow $85,000 of the taxpayer’s money on a “brand” bragging about how Texans in Paris reach high.

Based on arrest records, its likely smoking a peculiar weed or guzzling bottled moonshine or bonded and branded alcohol.

We would have asked if they really wanted to make Paris a desired destination for that large, identified segment of the market?

Currently, there’s already too much competition within it – as well as over consumption. In every B-movie, a crook with a gun tells those being robbed, “Reach higher.”

Now, the co-conspirators are wasting more dollars pasting this brand on all kinds of stationery, vehicles, signs, ads, etc., all paid for by mingling – on an equal basis – public and private funds or lying about it.

Sure, without a doubt, this “brand” has some sort of wobbly vision, and a theme that encourages some people to do strange things, like getting arrested for peeing in public.

Of course, it might be a little less objectionable if it didn’t make so many who participate think they can sing.

It’s not, however, the kind of vision or theme we had in mind – as standing out doesn’t always mean standing up.

When you’re lying in the gutter “reach higher” also means to try and climb the curb.

Paris may soon be known as the wrath of grapes or where the dawn comes up like thunder.

If we live up to the brand, Paris will be a place where you can start out fit as a fiddle and end up tight as a drum.

When the Paris Texas Chamber talks about a vision for Paris, it’s a way to build the kind of town where you and others (we) want to live.

The theme is a designed and designated focus on an established central objective. The vision and theme must have the imperative protocols that structure the necessary goals (steps) on how the objective will be achieved.  It must be defined and realistic, with worthwhile means to pay for achieving that objective.

Our community and economic development organization are good at promoting events that publicize and promotes the event (but not Paris: Paris is just a place where the Sphecidae or Crabronidae are having a meeting). But the vision is limited.

A mish-mash of events will not likely build the kind of community you want to live in – a town where others would want to live.

 

return to:    Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce

Link:

      Public-Private Partnerships

     Investing in People‘

     The Objective

 


The City of Paris, the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce, and the Paris Economic Development Corporation (PEDC), and the neither fish nor fowl Visitors and Convention Council paid a Florida firm $85,000 to come up with a “brand” they could use to “market Paris”.

After a year, they and the firm came up with this: 

 

Where Texans reach higher?  How much smoking is that in grams?  Ounces?  Pounds?

 

Are  implants from China, India, Pakistan, Germany, Italy, Scotland, Japan, Mexico, Philippine, or even  Oklahoma, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, California, Arkansas, Iowa, Georgia, New Mexico, and other  nations and other states allowed to smoke a few grams, too – or just  Texans? 

The Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce put it in writing, over a year ago, that the Florida firm would “not have a workable idea when they collect the rest of their money.”

For over a decade, the Paris Chamber has known, and repeatedly put in writing, that “Paris needs a vision, a theme, and the protocols to make it a highly desired destination for a large, identified segment of the market.”

So the above four organizations that allowed 30-years-or more of in-city population loss, increased decay in too many neighborhoods, and wasted millions of development dollars, conspired to show us that they could develop a perception that they do great things for Paris.

As we warned, it was wasting money on a wasted effort.

And the results are  …  something that can be used inside and outside the community to poke fun at Paris Texas – Where (pick one): Crooks, Rapscallions, Termites, Arguments, Maniacs, Temperatures, Cheats, Fires, Thieves, Ticks, Lies, Taxes, Fees, Prices, etc. – Reach Higher.

To be effective, a brand, a logo or a marketing campaign must be a truthful depiction of the product that is being presented to an identified potential market, regardless of the scope or size of the market, in a consistent, coherent and transparent manner.

The first thing you should want is a brand that cannot be used against you !

You build the brand the market you want wants you to be . . . .

Out of the 30-million people in Texas, half or a large percentage are native Texans. Millions live in Dallas and the state’s other Metro areas, and rural communities like Bonham, Sulphur Springs, Mount Pleasant, Reno (a community that Paris built), and hundreds of other growing places … and our organizations claim that Texans in Paris reach higher?

For what?  Falsehoods?

What are the vision and theme “for this brand”? What are the necessary protocols to hold them together – if they exist – now and in the future?

Sadly, they’ve achieved a dangerous product that competitors can use (where scoundrels reach higher), etc. 

Can’t you see it now (change colors as wanted):

Where dummies reach higher! 

Or even, “What does a Burkett Pecan and a native Paris Texan have in common?”

“They’re both nuts!” 

There’s no vision here. No theme. No protocols. Little to nothing of lasting value.

 

Just another waste of money.

 

return to the Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce

“Summertime
When the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’
And the cotton is high
Oh, your daddy’s rich
And your ma is good-lookin’
So hush, little baby
Don’t you cry” 

                                                      –  George Gershwin

                                    It’s Summertime. Again. Time for the Paris Chamber’s annual rant on “Paris Texas – where weeds reach higher”:

The Widow’s mite is often greater than a rich man’s thousands.

The City of Paris codes regarding grass and weeds:   

“It is a violation for any person owning, claiming, occupying, or having control of any property within the city to permit weeds, brush, vegetative growth, or any objectionable or unsightly matter to grow to a height greater than 12 inches.
“If the property is five acres or more, the owner or person in control is required to mow at least a 100-foot perimeter from the property line. 
“If a person fails to comply with these requirements and is convicted in the City of Paris Municipal Court, the fine could be as much as $2,000 for every day the violation exists. The city can also correct the violation at the owner’s expense and assess an administrative penalty of $220. If the costs of the work are not paid within 30 days, a lien will be filed against the property.”

 

A draconian approach – if you’re not one of the who-you-are or the who-do-you know crowd.

                                                But it’s June, and weeds are bustin’ out all over. Again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are weeds – no, grass – all over Paris that’s higher than 12-inches. In some places, weeds are already three feet fall. Some even taller. Many, as they sing in Oklahoma, are as tall as an elephant’s eye.

 

 

Regardless of the policy, there are places where weeds three feet tall (and taller) are still standing from last year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                               

 

 

Pitiful.  

 

 

(There’s no excuse for it.)

              We’ll see what tomorrow brings . . . .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Forgive us, but that bit in the code on any “objectionable or unsightly matter” with its 12-inch high requirement: There’s gonna be some really short people walking around if the city ever enforces it.

Why do we have ordinances, if they won’t be or can’t be enforced or enforced equally in all areas inside the Paris city limits?

The city demands that citizens follow the city’s policy and city ordinances when the city, itself, doesn’t do it.  Just look at the city’s rights-of-way.

The Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce actually believes (despite what some may want to claim) that each citizen has an obligation and responsibility to the community in which they live, work or do business. Examples being you don’t litter, rob, steal, injure or kill people, and break other reasonable laws.  We also believe, on the other hand, that a community – even Paris, Texas, where weeds reach higher – also has an obligation and a responsibility to each citizen to act without favoritism or different considerations.

Decisions should never be based on perceived percentages; whether it’s the widow’s mite or the rich man’s thousands.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                           Paris Texas: “Where Weeds Reach Higher”

 

 

 

 

 

           Darn that dream

and Bless it, too

It haunts me

that it won’t come true

O, darn … darn that dream