Orleans Chamber of Commerce Rebrand

Building a Brand the Community Could Stand Behind

Orleans is a coastal community defined by natural beauty, artistic expression, and a deeply local sense of place. Like many destination-driven towns, its public-facing identity had evolved in fragments, shaped by individual businesses, events, and organizations rather than a shared narrative.

For the Chamber of Commerce, this created a quiet but meaningful problem. Without a unifying brand, Orleans lacked a single symbol or message that businesses, residents, and partners could collectively stand behind. The community felt cohesive, but it did not look or sound that way.

The Orleans Chamber of Commerce’s original logo.

The Real Challenge

On the surface, the request was for a refreshed logo and brand.

In reality, the challenge was far more complex. Orleans needed an identity system capable of earning buy-in across a diverse group of stakeholders, including business owners, civic leaders, artists, residents, and visitors, without flattening what made the town distinct.

This was not about marketing Orleans to people. It was about creating a brand that Orleans could recognize as itself.

The Kingfisher Approach

We began with alignment and strategy, not design.

Kingfisher facilitated a brand workshop that brought together Chamber leadership and their board. This created space for people to articulate not just what Orleans does, but what it means to them.

Through these conversations, a powerful insight emerged. Orleans is uniquely situated between a bay and the open ocean, one of the rare places where both sunrise and sunset over the water are part of daily life. This physical reality mirrored a deeper emotional truth about the community. Balanced, reflective, creative, and grounded in nature.

Key Strategic Decisions

  • We prioritized timelessness over trend, ensuring the brand could endure beyond leadership changes and seasonal cycles.

  • We chose a hand-drawn wordmark to reflect Orleans’ artistic roots and human scale.

  • We used symbolism intentionally, with wave elements representing the town’s geographic and emotional position between two bodies of water.

  • We developed a complete brand system, not just a logo, so adoption would be easy, consistent, and sustainable.

The Result

The outcome was a unified brand identity anchored by a simple but resonant message:

Live Between the Waves

More than a tagline, it became a shared expression of life in Orleans, capturing geography, rhythm, creativity, and community in a way that felt immediately authentic.

The new brand:

  • Gave businesses and residents a symbol they were proud to use and wear

  • Provided the Chamber with a clear, credible identity framework they were proud to use

  • Created visual and narrative consistency across platforms and materials

The Takeaway

The strongest destination and community brands do not invent identity. They reveal it.

This was successful because the project was not about visibility. It was about belonging.

By grounding the brand in lived experience and shared meaning, the identity did not need to be sold to the community. It was recognized.

That recognition is what allowed the brand to take hold, not as a marketing asset, but as a city identity.

“Working with Kingfisher Strategy Agency was a truly transformative experience for our organization. They guided our Board of Directors through a thoughtful and engaging process, including three in-depth focus group sessions that gave everyone a voice and helped us clarify our collective vision. From the very beginning, it was clear they were not just hearing us—they were truly listening. Kingfisher took the time to understand who we are, where we’ve been, and where we hope to go. They captured the spirit of Orleans in a way that felt both authentic and forward-looking. The result is a new logo and brand identity that we’re incredibly proud of—one that resonates deeply with our community and represents our values and aspirations. We’re grateful for their insight, professionalism, and creative leadership throughout this journey.”

Judy Lindahl

Executive Director, Orleans Chamber of Commerce