Premier Williams
Brand Launch
October 3, 2006

Thank you Minister O�Brien.

Good morning everyone and thank you for coming out for this exciting event. This is a day that I have been looking forward to for many, many months.

In fact, I recall the very moment several months ago when I fully realized how desperately our province needed a new brand. I was participating in a Council of Atlantic Premier�s initiative in Toronto and we had brochures laying around with all of the Atlantic province�s brand symbols on one sheet.

I remember looking at that brochure and then looking at my staff and saying, �this has to change.�

The logo that has been used to represent us for many years has been our Coat of Arms with �Government of Newfoundland and Labrador� written in a miniscule font underneath.

And though our Coat of Arms is a proud, strong symbol of our history and our roots and will always remain so; it is not a signature brand that truly captures the essence of Newfoundland and Labrador, especially in the modern world.

I also began noticing that the Coat of Arms was not always used to represent the province. Everywhere I looked, it seemed that I saw a different logo. From tourism, to agriculture to business, the look was always different.

And so we undertook the brand audit as the minister described.

But the brand process was about more than just consolidating all of these logos into one government brand. For me, it was about putting my words into action. You have often heard me say that Newfoundland and Labrador is Canada�s youngest, coolest province? Well, we needed a brand to represent that.

You have also heard me talk about our greatest natural resource; our people. We are creative, inventive and even a little quirky. We know who we are and we are comfortable in our own skin.

We need a brand to represent that.

We are hard working, and yet we love to have a good time. We face challenges head on and discover innovative solutions. We are tenacious, strong and resilient.

We are like no other place on earth, and for centuries we have survived in a place where many would never dream to try. And not only have we survived, we have thrived. We do so because we root ourselves in our history and our culture, and build upon our natural strengths and talents.

We believe in a future that holds promise and prosperity for this land and our people.

We need a brand to represent that. We needed people to see a symbol and to instantly see Newfoundland and Labrador, and to associate that with our best qualities. We want them to think about a people and place that is resourceful, innovative and energized.

And believe me, it was no small challenge to find that perfect, unique brand.

We worked to develop this new brand, because we knew that highlighting our tremendous strengths in a strategic and compelling way is key to fulfilling our collective vision for a brighter more prosperous future.

Raising the profile of this province as a wonderful and preferred place to visit, live, work and invest is an important focus of this government. We live in a competitive global environment and any time we can gain an edge on the competition out there, we must take it.

Our new brand initiative gives us that edge. It is a smart investment and a strategic tool that will serve this province well for many generations to come.

Working with our brand agency, Target Marketing, we poured hours upon hours of research and planning into this process. It was critical that our new brand signature meet the highest standards and some very important criteria.

It had to be unique and fresh, simple and interesting. It had to allow for consistent use; to be adaptable to many applications, whether on a sign, on letterhead, in a newspaper ad or on an article of clothing.

Most importantly, it had to have relevance for this province and for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. It had to be something that reflects our rich heritage and our future, that builds on our strengths, and capitalizes on our enormous potential.

Our government firmly believes that we have achieved all of those things.

Over the past number of days, you have probably noticed some unique advertisements in the papers and on TV. And they were outside the doors as you entered today. These ads when pulled together partially reveal our new brand signature. And if you read the associated scripts very closely, you will start to see the picture we have been painting.

And now the time has come to reveal the full story. Please sit back, and enjoy the following brief animation which will lead us to a new, fresh and creative brand signature by which the world will soon know us.

[Premier steps to the side as animation begins. Animation ends; Premier returns to the podium.]

I am proud to present to you today the new brand signature for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

[Premier reveals Brand poster]

As you can see, we have taken our provincial flower, the Pitcher Plant, and given it a fresh new image that we believe will stand out in the marketplace.

The pitcher plant is unique, creative and resilient. It is beautiful and tenacious, tough and adaptable. It has thrived throughout all regions of our province for centuries, just as our people have done.

It has carved out its existence on rugged terrain, just as our ancestors did, and grows in a place where you would think no plant should ever grow. It beats the odds and grows up out of bog, and evolves into a symbol of strength and beauty.

It is an important part of our history and a true symbol of who we are and what we�re made of. It is the symbol by which the world will know us.

You know, I�ve looked at this signature, watched this video and heard that very moving song many times, but every time I see it, it�s like I see it for the first time.

It impacts me. It resonates with me. And it mirrors my pride and my passion as a Newfoundlander and Labradorian. Let�s look at it one more time.

[Animation plays, Premier steps to the side, vocalist is revealed.]

Wasn�t that simply spectacular? I would like to introduce our talented young vocalist Melissa Murphy. Melissa, who lives here in St. John�s, is just 15 years old but has a voice that captures the essence of our brand signature and our identity.

She is a young, proud, talented Newfoundlander and Labradorian who represents the best and brightest of our future and we are so very proud to have her associated with our new brand.

Thank you Melissa, and many thanks to all of you.

I hope you will grow to love this new brand as much as we all do, and that you will embrace it as a new symbol for our province.

I want to close by acknowledging the efforts of a dynamic and hardworking team that has created the success that brings us here today. The commitment of everyone involved has been incredible and I extend my sincere appreciation and thanks.

We�ll take a few minutes now to take some questions from our media and then move outside for refreshments.