Wenatchee drops ‘Apple Capital’

WENATCHEE – Wenatchee will no longer be billed as the “Apple Capital of the World” to people rolling into town.

The venerable welcome sign sporting the slogan is coming down and new sculptures have been installed that depict the surrounding mountains and valleys and bear the words “Wenatchee. Meeting Rivers. Meeting Friends. Meeting Needs.” Both the sculptures and the slogan were created by Coeur d’Alene artist Dave Clemons.

“It sounds more like an outreach program than a city,” said Shana Munch, a Wenatchee resident who responded to a Wenatchee World survey.

“This new (slogan) is too New Age touchy-feely. (It) leaves me feeling like a phony,” said Ben Knecht of Wenatchee.

Some said they felt a sense of loss at the 30-year-old “Apple Capital” sign coming down.

Others said the nickname is worn out and that it’s high time for a change, especially since Wenatchee has lost the bulk of its orchards in recent years.

“I’m happy the ‘Apple Capital’ stuff is going away. All things considered, Wenatchee is so much more,” said Richard Thody of Wenatchee. “The rock carvings look right on target – real nice, real descriptive.”

Kris Bassett, the city’s director of historic preservation and arts, said she doesn’t see a reason for any fuss about the “Apple Capital” sign going away.

“It’s just a billboard,” she said. “This town deserves more than a billboard.”

She said the new art is classy. “I think it’s something everyone can identify with.”

Cities across America are pouring money and time into developing new identities in order to capture tourist and business dollars, said Eric Schwartz, a city tagline expert based in San Mateo, Calif.

Last March, Washington rolled out its “SayWA” slogan, which cost $200,000 to develop but was scrapped in October because of harsh public criticism. Seattle just branded itself “Metronatural.” In 2003, Spokane adopted “Spokane. Near Nature. Near Perfect.”

“You want something indicative of who you are, not what someone else is,” Schwartz said. “The key to effective branding is to embrace an appealing slogan that promises an experience that can’t be duplicated anywhere else.”

Schwartz said that mottos can make huge differences for cities’ images and, in turn, their fates in the municipal marketplace.

“When conceived correctly, it can reflect a city’s style and personality, leverage its assets, and communicate a compelling message,” Schwartz wrote in an article titled “Jumping on the Bandwagon: How to Give Your City a Motto Makeover in 10 Easy Steps.” “Think of it as urban renewal without having to pass a bond measure,” Schwartz wrote.

His take on Wenatchee’s “Meeting Rivers. Meeting Friends. Meeting Needs”: It’s too long and a bit vague regarding the meeting needs part.

On the spot he came up with: “Where rivers meet. And friendship flows.”