P.E.I. to spend $100K on new brand

P.E.I. may soon be the gentle island no more as the government has issued a request for proposals to create a whole new brand that will capture the essence of the province.

The current P.E.I. "gentle island" slogan is the basis of a marketing campaign aimed at tourists. While the new brand will also focus on tourism, it will go well beyond that. It will be the centre of immigration promotion, marketing for potatoes and oysters, and ideally even change the attitude of the people who live here already.

The RFP asks prospective companies to "develop inspirational key messages that motivate cultural changes, changing the spirit of citizens to realize economic and personal goals through the development of their own education, skill development and pride."

A sub-brand will focus on the province as a destination for post-secondary education. Holland College vice president Mike O'Grady sits on a task force working on the new brand.

"[We want] to essentially define the essence of Prince Edward Island," said O'Grady.

"It's a very competitive marketplace. How do we define our essence in a way that differentiates us in that marketplace?"

No one from government was available to talk about the rebranding, but tender documents show just how wide-ranging the plan is.

"The creation of imagery and development of personality (brand promise) around PEI as being innovative, progressive and aggressive towards its future. We need to reset our societal views on what we can accomplish," the document says.

The brand review is expected to cost up to $100,000. That doesn't include the cost to implement a new brand once it is developed.

For mobile device users: What do you think of P.E.I.'s plan to create a new brand?