The Orange County Board of Commissioners has unanimously approved a new county slogan — “Around the Corner, Ahead of the Curve.”
The slogan will be placed on a new county interstate sign and will replace the former slogan “You’ll Be A Fan For Life.”
“We heard from many people who said ‘if you’re looking at that sign that says Around the Corner, Ahead of the Curve, it makes you want to pull off and ask more questions,'” said Laurie Paolicelli, executive director of the Orange County Visitor’s Bureau.
The board’s decision is the culmination of months of work that included resident submissions and public input on their favorite slogans.
“By week one, we had 270 suggestions.” said Jan Bolick, general manager of WCHL, which was a sponsor for the slogan contest. “By week eight, we had 892. We were thrilled by the participation and the enthusiasm and the interest.”
Of the hundreds of submissions, the county received a wide range of options, from vulgar to funny, including one submission that read “Orange You Glad We Didn’t Say Banana.”
But the commissioners went against the public favorite, “Visit Today, Stay For Life.” The slogan received the most votes, nearly 100 more than the new slogan, but commissioner Mark Dorosin explained why he voted against the popular opinion.
“‘For Life’ also has an incarceration quality,” he said. “It’s like you can never leave. It’s like The Village.”
The commissioners also voted to change the graphic on the sign from the county seal to the county logo.
The new sign will be placed in the same location as the current sign, on I-40 at mile marker 269, heading west.
I was interested to read your recent article about Orange County adopting “Work. Life. Thrive.” as its new official slogan. As a resident of the area, I have some thoughts on the choice.
I can understand the desire to highlight Orange County as a place that supports both professional success and a high quality of life. The research showing that current and potential residents are drawn to places that offer this balance makes sense. However, I’m not convinced the slogan fully captures the spirit and vibrancy of our community.
“Work. Life. Thrive” feels a bit generic to me. While it may market well to a broad audience, it doesn’t say much about what makes Orange County unique. I would have liked to see something that conveyed more of our specific strengths – the entrepreneurial innovation centered around UNC, the arts and culture scene, farm-to-table culinary options, college town character, nearby outdoor recreation, etc.
A slogan speaks volumes about how a community presents itself to the wider world. I hope as Orange County officials and business leaders use this new slogan, they focus on backing it up with substantive policies and investments in maintaining the diverse attributes that make this such an enjoyable and progressive community to be a part of. There is always room for improvement, but I feel thankful to work, live, and thrive here.