The document summarizes a branding initiative between the Chamber of Commerce and City of Nashua. It included research to develop new brands and logos for both entities, as well as new websites. The $110,000 project was funded through $50,000 from the city and $60,000 raised privately. It went through phases of research, creative development, website building, and will launch in September 2013. The new tagline "Dare to Begin" reflects Nashua's history of residents and businesses taking chances and its opportunities for growth.

2. History of Initiative
The branding initiative is a unique, collaborative initiative between both the Chamber
of Commerce and the City of Nashua, which will result in:
- a new marketing and business-development brand for the City of Nashua
- a new brand and identity for the Chamber that complements the new City
marketing brand
- two new websites:
1) a new, business/visitor destination website for the City of
Nashua, separate from our municipal site
2)a new website for the Chamber of Commerce
Total project cost: $110,000
- The City contributed $50,000
- The Chamber raised $60,000 from private companies and organizations
across Nashua

3. Timeline of Initiative
Phase I: Research and Community Analysis
(June 2012 – October 2012)
North Star Agency, a marketing agency that specializes in municipal branding, was hired to conduct an in-depth analysis
of Nashua’s current brand, and its competitive attributes relative to our peer cities in northern New England. Hundreds of
Nashua’s residents and community leaders were engaged in this phase, as were practitioners from across New England.
North Star presented to the City and Chamber an extensive report detailing each of its findings, in the fall of 2012.
Phase II: Creative Phase
(November 2012 – May 2013)
North Star and MESH Interactive Agency (a locally-based marketing agency) collaborated together in this creative phase,
using all of the results from Phase I to create a new Brand Platform, a new Tagline, and eventually a new Logo for both the
City and the Chamber. It was MESH Agency’s work and creative talent that provided the actual logo and tagline for this
new brand.
Phase III: Website & Brand Development
(June 2013 – August 2013)
MESH Agency has spent the last three months designing and developing the Brand Guidelines for both the City and
Chamber brands, and designing/developing the two new websites for both entities.
Phase IV: Brand Launch
(September 2013)
Both the City and the Chamber brand will officially be unveiled to the community at a special Launch Event,
after which the new brand will be integrated into the community over the next 12 months

4. Narrative Behind the Tagline
Our research in Phase I uncovered a common theme that has occurred throughout Nashua’s 270+ year history – we
have been blessed with individuals, and with companies, that have dared to “think big” and have taken chances on
ventures and initiatives that have propelled Nashua forward through the years.
Evidence of this willingness to begin new and ambitious initiatives is demonstrated throughout our history.
Consider just a few examples of this, below:
-The very founders of the settlement that would eventually become known as Nashua dared to begin a new venture when they
established our city’s roots in the late 1600’s at the confluence of The Merrimack and Nashua Rivers
- The men of our region in the 1770’s comprised the bulk of the American patriot force on Bunker Hill that dared to defy an Empire
and begin a new chapter in the world’s annals of history
- The business tycoons of the mid-1800’s rolled the dice and invested heavily in rail, making Nashua the largest hub (and therefore
“the Gate City”) of New England
- The city’s leaders during the 1940’s and 50’s refused to let the City die after the textile industry closed overnight, instead choosing to
begin a new chapter for Nashua as a high-tech and defense manufacturing hub for northern New England. Today’s BAE Systems exists
because of the willingness of our city’s leaders to take a chance and act daringly.
- Today, Nashua still demonstrates this willingness to begin new initiatives that will propel us into the future through efforts such as
the Broad Street Parkway that will redevelop our entire Millyard, and through efforts such as the creation of Nashua Technology Park.

5. Narrative Behind the Tagline
As seen through our history and in the present day, Nashua is a place where:
• City leaders are willing to begin new ventures that will position the city for
the future
• Business leaders can take big chances by starting new ventures, new
companies, new products and services
• Companies can begin new chapters through expansion or relocation
• Residents can start new chapters in their lives by taking a new job, starting a
business venture, or creating a family in one of the country’s best cities in which
to live

6. Hence, the new tagline….
A tagline that salutes those who came before us and took big chances,
and that challenges us in the present-day to do the same.

7. Narrative Behind the Logo
Taken in its entirety, the new logo is a physical/literal representation of a morning
sunrise over Nashua:
- the orange represents a morning sun rising over the city
- the two shades of blue geographically represent the two rivers upon which Nashua
was founded
- the green represents the natural beauty (the hills and trees) and environmental
sensitivity enjoyed in Nashua and in NH
A sunrise figuratively represents an opportunity for a new beginning; with each new
morning comes a new opportunity:
- an opportunity to begin a new chapter, or a new venture
- an opportunity to start over
- an opportunity to personally or professionally grow and expand
The two rivers are intertwined, forming an infinity sign; this symbolizes the fact that
you don’t just begin in Nashua and then go elsewhere; you can keep beginning new
chapters and ventures. The infinity of the two rivers also represents the limitless
opportunities in Nashua for business ideas, and initiatives. The two rivers also
represent the future of Nashua’s redevelopment opportunities. It’s our waterfront
and our two rivers that have powered Nashua’s economy for so many years, and
where Nashua’s major redevelopment opportunities will occur over the next 10
years.
The green represents more than just NH’s beauty and our respect for our
environment. It also represents the high tech industry, upon which the future of
Nashua’s economy rests.

8. New Logo and Tagline together

9. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Did this initiative involve any local companies?
A: Two different marketing agencies were hired for this initiative. The first agency, North Star, is based in
Tennessee and specializes in municipal branding. They conducted all of the surveys, focus groups, and
competitive analyses that were used to create the new brand.
The local agency, MESH Interactive Agency, is based in Nashua’s downtown This company conducted all of
the work that went into creating the actual tagline, the logo, the colors, etc.
Q: How was this project funded?
A: More than half of the funding for this initiative was provided by the private sector. The City contributed
$50,000 to the project, which was approved by the Board of Aldermen in Spring 2012. The local business
community then raised more than $60,000 for the project, thereby providing more than half the funding
required for the initiative.
Q: Why isn’t this brand incorporating “the gate city?”
A: Nashua will always be known as “the gate city,” and we are not seeking to replace that. However, this term is
more of a nickname than it is a brand. Furthermore, many people who were surveyed during our research
remarked that a gate is more often used to keep someone out, rather than to welcome them in. We want our
brand to be welcoming, rather than prohibitive.
Q: How does this brand incorporate Nashua’s rich cultural history and diversity?
A: Nashua was built and led by people from many different ethnicities throughout its history – French,
Lithuanian, Polish, just to name a few. All of these had one thing in common – they dared to take a chance at
building a better life for themselves and their families by coming to Nashua. Our tagline therefore is a salute
to the spirit of those who came before us, making it possible us in the present day to follow in their footsteps
by starting our own beginnings.

10. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does this logo represent Nashua?
A: There are two different dimensions to the logo – a literal dimension, and a figurative dimension.
The literal dimension focuses on the two rivers upon which Nashua was founded, The Nashua and The
Merrimack Rivers. Those two rivers are clearly visible in the middle of the logo, represented by the two
interconnecting shades of blue. Nashua’s development has always been powered by our two rivers, and
the city’s future redevelopment opportunities over the next 10-20 years also lie upon our two rivers. This
logo therefore highlights the influence of the two rivers both in Nashua’s history and its future.
The figurative dimension of the logo has several elements. The morning sun in the logo represents the fact
that every dawn brings with it new opportunities. The rivers form an infinity sign, representing both the
limitless opportunities one can find in Nashua for career and personal growth, as well as the fact that one
can keep beginning new chapters in his or her life here in Nashua. The green swath represents more than
the natural beauty of a NH city; it also represents our high tech industry that will power Nashua’s economy
for the foreseeable future.
Q: How is this tagline going to attract businesses?
A: Every business, regardless of its industry or size, has one thing in common – they all started because
someone had a dream, and the courage to pursue that dream. “Dare to Begin” captures that essence, and
demonstrates to prospective companies and business people that we share their desire to “think big.”
Every business owner and President/CEO can relate to this message, and will appreciate a community that
supports their desire to pursue their dreams.