“Fire up!” is a common phrase heard in the Hudsonville High hallways. The catchphrase is a quintessential part of the Hudsonville School District brand. Some other key parts of the brand are the eagle logo, navy blue and maize coloring, and the block-font capital H. The Hudsonville community has latched onto the branding and made it a part of the town. The neighboring town, Jenison, has been struggling to find the same level of enthusiasm toward its brand, leading it to go through multiple phases of rebranding.

Rebranding is to change the public perception of a brand using fonts, coloring, catchphrases, logos, etc. Business teacher, Ms. Lanphear teaches a class called Intro to Business and has a unit about rebranding. She also has a connection with the Jenison school district.  When asked why Jenison went through the process of rebranding, Lanphear said: “I believe that they are jealous of the attachment to the Hudsonville brand that our community has.” It is unknown how effective the rebranding has been. 

The main change Jenison has incorporated into their new brand includes a new J logo with the wildcat on the hook of the J. The Jenison community members have had mixed reactions toward the new logo. Some people think it is time for the change to be made, while others think the design is not fit for the school district. 

A difference between the brands of Hudsonville and Jenison is the uniformity of the different schools throughout the Hudsonville School District. “I don’t think it is necessarily similar to Hudsonville but both districts are putting a priority on branding so that things within their districts have a unified look,” said Lanphear. Overall, Jenison rebranded to improve the community image and unify the district.