Following the devastating fires, Knysna Tourism launched its #KnysnaRises logo, which shows the Knysna loerie/ turaco rising like a phoenix from the “flames” and was inspired by the message that Knysna is rising from the ashes.
Knysna Tourism chairperson, Elmay Bouwer said that the logo, which quickly went viral on social media, is part of a PR campaign which aims to address the concerns of the public that Knysna was destroyed by the 10-day fire.
“The perception is that Knysna is no longer operational. People are wondering whether to cancel their bookings, and some are planning to change their Knysna itineraries. We need to get the message across that Knysna suffered a fair amount of damage but was by no means destroyed and is definitely open for business and welcoming visitors.”
Knysna Tourism’s PR consultant Jeannine Orzechowski briefed Dominic Morel of 2Heads Advertising to create a logo with the hashtags #KnysnaRises and #VisitKnysna. Morel says the inspiration for the logo was all around him. “To see a town pull together like this is amazing, so sitting down to design it was a pleasure. The obvious choice was the traditional ‘Phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes’, but the design had to have a local twist (the loerie) and fit with Knysna Tourism’s corporate identity”.
The work on the #KnysnaRises campaign creative was done free of charge: “Tourism, like so many thousands of individuals, was an incidental victim of the fire. We have all volunteered to help during and after the disaster, and assisting Knysna to get this message out is no different. I love this town… it’s that simple.”
“I’m blown away by the positive feedback on social media… people ‘get it’, and I feel honoured to be a part of supporting locals to rebuild this beautiful place,” adds Morel.
