NEWPORT — Newport is genuine by nature.  That, at least, is the conclusion reached by Origin Design + Communications Ltd. after it completed a branding study on behalf of the Newport City Renaissance Corporation (NCRC).

Patricia Sears, NCRC’s executive director, unveiled the results of the study at the Newport City Council meeting Monday night.  She said Origin based its recommendations on a process that included a public brainstorming session in October and later focus group sessions.

She told the aldermen that they are free to adopt the study, and a newly designed logo, whenever they like.  Her organization will start right away to use the study results to promote the city.

She said Origin, in looking at the city, uncovered 12 “core brand characteristics.”  Newport, it says is “community-focused, geographically-blessed, gritty and unpolished, genuine, resilient, proud, feisty, free, determined, quick-witted, laid back, down-to-earth” and outdoorsy.

The study also produced a “brand promise” listing “the thing that consumers are assured of receiving as a result of their relationship with the brand.”  Consumers are assured that “Newport offers a quiet beauty, friendly faces and an abundance of opportunities for outdoor adventure… in other words, a unique and genuine, small-town experience that residents can be proud of and visitors can be charmed by.”

That promise is to be expressed in the city’s “brand voice,” which Origin said is “proud, yet a little gritty… but gritty in an honest, appealing way.  You could say, true and genuine through and through.”

The company concluded that  Newport brand can be summed up in the phrase “genuine by nature.”  Genuine, Origin wrote “refers to the people, the experience, the unpretentiousness of the city, the conspicuous lack of anything that remotely resembles the ‘manufactured charm’ of other towns.”

The “by nature” portion of the phrase points to Newport’s situation on the shores of Lake Memphremagog and close to nearby mountains, as well as the outdoor activities that residents and visitors can enjoy throughout the year.  The branding consultants said their motto is also meant to tell visitors that “being warm, personable and real comes naturally to the people of Newport — rare qualities that flow through their blood and are ingrained in their soul.”

Origin suggested that the city’s slogan might be adapted according to the subject that is being considered.  If the topic is business development the phrase may be altered to “Newport. Successful by nature.”  For tourism it might be “Newport. Welcoming by nature.”

One item on the lengthy list raised the eyebrows of Alderman Tim de la Bruere, who noticed that a variation reading “Newport.  Natural by nature,” might be used to promote “food and nudist camps.”

Ms. Sears assured Mr. de la Bruere that NCRC knows of no nudist camps opening in the area.

“That was there to see if you read the whole list,” she said.

“I sure did,” a still astonished Mr. de la Bruere replied.

Mr. de la Bruere also asked whether the new logo will require changing the city’s new welcome and directional signs.

Ms. Sears said there would be no difficulty in making the adjustment because the present logo is printed on vinyl and can easily be stripped off and replaced on the signs with the new one.