If you have heard about the new Hoosiers Made Here branding for Knightstown, you might have a couple of questions. Well, you have come to the right place! We’re giving you the behind-the-scenes look into how we co-created the new visitor attraction brand.

The Hoosier Made Here brand was an initiative driven by the Knightstown Redevelopment Commission (RDC). Learn more about the RDC here. Keep reading to get the inside scoop on everything that happened behind the scenes and the hard work the community members put into making this brand happen. 

The Phases of the Branding Process 

The branding process has been much more complex than many people believe. Think of the branding process as the iceberg metaphor, 70 percent of the process happens under the surface, and the other 30 percent is what is shown to visitors and the community.   

Phase one and two of the branding process was comprised mostly of research and collaboration with community members. We needed to understand how the community of Knightstown thinks. To accomplish the goal of getting the community’s thoughts and opinions, we pushed out a survey to the community. Then we gathered a group of residents to share their favorite assets in Knightstown.   

The survey and the appreciative inquiry were only phase one! Phase two is when the RDC hit the ground with the branding. After gathering information from the community, it was time to take this information and create something that would honor the spirit of Knightstown while also drawing in visitors.   

Embodying the Spirit of Knightstown 

There are many good things in Knightstown, and the people here make our community what it is. A variety of community members gathered to tackle a big decision and to answer the key question; what should Knightstown be known for to visitors? This group took time to review data, listen to residents, and brainstorm taglines and in our opinion, they did an awesome job!   

The chosen tagline and logo were not something haphazardly thrown together. A group of community members attended two brand planning meetings to collaboratively build a tagline from the ground up. In addition, they went through multiple activities and collaborated to come up with ideas. It was fantastic to witness a group of community members expressing their thoughts and working together to do something that will greatly benefit Knightstown. 

Choosing a New Logo and Tagline 

How exactly did the brand champions land on a handful of potential taglines? Well, we are glad that you asked! First, they learned some information about tourism and what draws people to different places. Then it was time to begin throwing around ideas. The group focused on highlighting what could be found in Knightstown. And above all, they wanted to connect the past to the present. 

The group created a variety of tagline options and worked with a consulting firm to design a logo. Once the group had 3 or 4 options it was time to go back to the community to gain their input.

The community landed on Hoosiers Made Here which is a perfect fit!  

In the past, branding has only focused on a couple of assets. However, moving into the future, the group wanted to bridge the gap between past and future. The words “Hoosier” is a gentle reference to the Hoosier gym and the impact it has had on Knightstown. The tagline “Made Here” references the Maker’s Market, restaurants, antique stores, boutiques, manufacturing and everything else that is made by everyone that lives in Knightstown.  

Once we landed on our brand-new logo and tagline, it was time to get working on the final phase of the branding. Now we needed to create a new website and social media platforms. Once the website was launched, we needed to plan a party. That’s a tall order! While it was a lot of hard work, we are so happy with the results.   

Launching the Brand 

When creating a website, launching social media platforms, and launching a party, there is a lot to keep track of. As a result, each member of the RDC spent hours ensuring everything came together perfectly. The website was launched at the beginning of May 2022, featuring a user-friendly design that would be easy to navigate for visitors and Knightstown residents. There are ten pages to promote local events, shops, and restaurants. Check out the website pages below.   

  • Homepage – Here you can find links and information about every other page on the website.  
  • What To Do – Find shops, outdoor activities and other things to do.  
  • Where To Eat and Stay – Find all the restaurants and lodgings. 
  • Events – Stay up to date on everything happening in Knightstown. 
  • Hoosier Gym – Learn more about the Hoosier Gym. 
  • Our Story – Here you can find out more about the people of Knightstown. 
  • Blog – Read more about events, activities and the community. 
  • Contact Us – Get into contact with Visit Knightstown. 
  • Do Business Here – Learn more about business opportunities. 
  • Local Businesses – Find any business in Knightstown. 

We hosted our launch party at the end of May, which was a great success! There was food, basketball, Hoosier Made Here swag and fantastic conversation. All attendees were able to check out the website, sign up for the newsletter, get their picture taken and shoot a granny shot from the free-throw line. The goal of this launch party was to show the community all of the assets that were now available to them because of this project. There was so much work that went into this project, and we wanted the community to have front-row seats as it continues to develop and unfold.  

Find Out Why Hoosiers Are Made Here 

We hope this article helped you understand why we believe that Hoosiers Are Made Here! There is so much more in Knightstown for you to enjoy. Stay up to date and get more Knightstown travel tips by signing up for our monthly newsletter or following us on social media. For more articles just like this one, check out the other articles on our blog.