GLASGOW – The search is on to find a marketing firm to develop a brand and logo for the city of Glasgow.

The Glasgow Strategic Planning Committee agreed to seek proposals from marketing firms to do the work.

Committee Chairman Terry Bunnell shared information during the group’s Jan. 7 meeting about conversations he had with Somerset and Pikeville officials about developing brands and logos for their cities.

Somerset officials said they wanted a brand that would define their city’s identity.

“It was a process that took a number of months to do,” Bunnell said, but Somerset officials told him it was one of the best things they ever did because it “created an awareness for the community.”

Somerset is now referred to as the city that is “the spirit of southern Kentucky.”

Committee member Marna Kirkpatrick and Bunnell met Dec. 21 with officials from OOHology and Campfir3, two Louisville-based marketing firms. OOHology recently did work for the Glasgow-Barren County and Cave City tourist and convention commissions.

“We went over exactly what we were looking for and we talked about mission statements, branding, services (and) some goals,” she said, adding they also talked about whether to redo the city’s website.

Bunnell also reached out to two other marketing firms.

Kirkpatrick said she thinks it is time to talk to the city’s finance committee about funding for the project.

Committee member James “Happy” Neal questioned the difference between what a marketing firm could do and what the Kentucky League of Cities has already done.

“We’ve done spent like $10,000 to $11,000 on the strategic plan and we are going to spend another, I don’t know how much, on finding out our brand. I thought the brand we would come up with ourselves,” Neal said.

The KLC worked with the strategic planning committee in developing the strategic plan, which Bunnell said provides “nuggets of information” and identifies possible opportunities and challenges for the city.

“What you do with a brand is now you are going to frame the personality. It’s what you are going to build your city around,” Bunnell said.

The marketing firms provide professional expertise in helping define the city’s identity, he said.

“They are experts,” Kirkpatrick said.

If the KLC did brands and logos, he said, the strategic planning committee would absolutely want to reach out to that group, but that is not something the organization does.

Bunnell said the marketing firms would use the city’s strategic plan for the basis of developing a brand.

Kirkpatrick contended the city needs an expert to develop the city’s brand and logo, and she said she likes what OOHology did for the tourist and convention commissions.

“I feel like using the same company would be a benefit to Glasgow,” she said.

Bunnell said he has checked with April Russell, who is in charge of grant oversight for the city, about possible grant funding.

“I agree with Marna. This is a step (where) we need professional help,” he said.

Committee member Wendell Honeycutt said he thought the committee should get requests for proposals. “It’s a critical step on what we are planning on doing. I don’t see how we can do it all on our own, but we need to know what it’s going to (cost),” he said.

Bunnell asked about getting proposals from the two Louisville-based marketing firms, but Neal said he thought the committee should get proposals from at least three or four marketing firms.

Kirkpatrick suggested she and Bunnell look into other marketing firms and share what they learn with the strategic planning committee, which will then choose one marketing firm to make a presentation to the Glasgow City Council.

“If the council agrees, then we can send it to the finance committee,” she said.

The strategic planning committee agreed to solicit requests for proposals from three marketing firms.