Ariel Megee
— San Marcos is a unique fish in a growing pond.
San Marcos has always been a town full of character and laid back charm. It’s the town where someone can raise a ruckus as a student, then settle down to raise a family when they’re ready. Now the city council plans to market that special charm to the masses.
Developing a town brand is far from foreign, and the idea of marketing a cohesive image has grown in popularity with many small towns. When describing what a brand means, Mayor Susan Narvaiz feels that a brand should remind someone of connections made.
“I think it’s how people identify with you. Or what people remember you for, at least in my mind,” Narvaiz said.
The mayor hopes that the finished product will be ready to present to council members by May or June and officially be ready for the public by September.
A large issue for the council is creating an image that will set the city apart in the battle to avoid being devoured by the urban sprawl that has become the Interstate 35 corridor.
Donna Hill, who sits on the Brand Taskforce and is a former chair of the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce, feels having an updated image will set the city apart from all the rest.
“We are a growing community with a huge university. We have so many assets that we need to showcase and wrap our arms around. And not just be the city between two big cities,” Hill said.
The council is also concerned that the brand stays true to the community, but balanced with the effort to encourage businesses to come from out of town.
“I think our goal (with the brand) would be to attract businesses that bring families. And opportunity for families that are already here, as well as families that wish to come,” Narvaiz said.
So San Marcos wants a brand name, but how do you develop a corporate identity for a city? It’s been an ongoing process for many people. Some of the steps include hiring consultant teams, public opinion surveys –online and in person- market research, and focus groups. The process is very similar to what a corporation would go through when choosing its motto.
The city council has included the university in this process as well. There is a member of the university student body on the taskforce.
“What I love about this committee is that everybody is going in with an open mind and we’re starting from scratch…and taking things one step at a time,” Hill said.
One of the biggest attractions to San Marcos, and sure to come up with the brand, is the natural beauty of the city. The river in particular has always been a draw for citizens and students alike, even very small students. Jennifer Rogers and her two children have been enjoying this special feature for several summers
“We have a nice river for when it’s really hot,” said Troy, Rogers' eight-year-old son.
The Rogers have been going to the river almost every day in the summer for the past nine years.
The Rogers family moved to the city in 2001. Previously located in Austin, they moved here so Jennifer could finish her degree at Texas State, but they stayed because raising a family here made sense to them.
“We can afford a higher caliber of house here, there’s less traffic, and you can live here without having to drive on the freeway,” Rogers said of the reasons why they like San Marcos.
Rogers’ is also a supporter of the San Marcos school district, where she sometimes works as a substitute. Her husband is a teacher at the high school.
What the Rogers appreciate about the city is what the new brand will hopefully represent: the memories that form, and the reasons why people come to San Marcos in the first place. Something that defines what gives San Marcos such a pull over people who mean to come for a short time, but end up staying years.
“We are trying to do an outreach, to decide what that emotional tie that people have with us (San Marcos). Whether it’s for one day when they visit, or for a lifetime,” Narvaiz said.
Ariel Megee is a journalism major at Texas State University.
