Paula Stanghetta April 16, 2021MP TOURS has been on a journey of its own over the last several months. Sadly, it isn’t to some exotic location, sipping wine, meeting the locals, and re-living ancient history. Gladly, it’s a welcome journey, however, and has resulted in a long-awaited change to our MP TOURS logo.
Our First Logo
When MP TOURS began in 2013, the main focus was on curating, promoting, and implementing our first tour to the Marche Region of Italy. Our hands were more than full with myriad tasks needed to offer a show-stopping tour. Knowing that we had to have an identity of some kind, we hastily put together a name and a logo. Then we got about the business of doing what we love – introducing our Italy to eager travellers.
Growing Pains
Fast forward to 2019, the business had grown steadily with new curated tours, inspired by the desire to explore more hidden gems of Italy. I was able to pause a little and determine what needed to be addressed at MP TOURS behind-the-scenes and one of them was our logo. When asked what it represented, I was embarrassed to say that it had no specific meaning – and that’s when I knew it was time to change it and so began the official MP TOURS logo journey.
It was not until 2020 that I actually set aside time to do the thinking required to re-design the logo. And yet, the new logo only came into being in 2021 – it seems I got very proficient at procrastinating!
The Process
Google ‘How to Design a Logo’ and you will have many examples of the work flow required. Here’s a high-level breakdown of how our process unfolded:
Working with Digital Main Street Communitech, we teamed up with a graphic designer who set out to understand the company in terms of our vision, purpose, audience, value proposition, and competitive position in the market. That was a lot of thinking and my brain felt like it was in overload, but we made it through!
We talked about look and feel, including colours, fonts, and visuals. This resulted in an initial logo concept, which I liked but wasn’t 100% sold on. Something was missing, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
The Spark and a Realisation
A conversation with one of my daughters reminded me of a piece of pottery that I had in my kitchen. The handmade mug showed a landscape of my Nonna’s hometown in Italy. Then I remembered a clay candle older we have of the same town, Torre di Palme.
All of a sudden, a rush of thoughts tumbled around in my head. For so long, I’d tried to succinctly describe why I started MP TOURS and was never able to clearly articulate it. Suddenly, the ‘why’ came into focus.
Where MP TOURS Really Originates From
Torre di Palme is where my story begins – on my father’s side that is. From the first time I visited ‘Torre’, to every time I drive along the Adriatic Sea, I feel like I am home. It has taken me forty years of travelling there to learn something new each time I look out over the medieval wall that surrounds the hilltop paradise. Over years of travelling through the Marche, I have discovered many beautiful towns, met countless incredible people, and explored the cultural and culinary diversity of the area, thankfully mostly untouched by mass tourism. I wanted to share these gems with anyone who wanted to experience them.
Now, I have a logo that depicts Torre di Palme, its ‘Towers of Palms’ that are still standing. It includes the sun and the verdant hills and evokes emotions of ancestral connection to be shared and treasured. It reminds me of a place I love and want to introduce to others.
The Final Step in MP TOURS New Logo Journey
I am happy with the journey MP TOURS has undergone to now have a logo that represents the reason why we exist. As we transition to the new look, I’m excited to share the inspiration for its creation. I look forward to responding with a smile when asked, “What’s the story behind your logo?”.
