Covington is alive! Covington is a city of helping hands!

That's the messages behind the City of Covington's new branding initiative that will be celebrated Wednesday at what City Hall has dubbed a Throw Down House Party. The event kicks off at City Hall (22 West Pike Street) at 4 p.m.

The logo was created by Cincinnati-based branding firm Landor and was funded through the same grant that led to the Center City Action Plan that was finished in 2012. This is the image:

Read about city leaders' expectations and Landor's perspective on the branding: Click Here

The effort has inspired some light-hearted activities at City Hall including some of the administrators posing for selfies in front of Cov 200 murals:

City Manager Larry Klein flanked by Assistant City Manager Larisa Sims (left) and Director of Operations Lisa Desmarais

The unusual design is part of Covington's personality, Landor's project manager said. "We are real, raw, and refined. We’re not a cookie-cutter city and we would never fit with a cookie-cutter approach to branding," is part of the City's messaging with the brand. "We have an edge, a spark and we honor individualism. We need an identity that can celebrate all of our people and assets, helping us all come together yet challenge conformity."

"Covington doesn’t have to do things in the same way that other cities do. We don’t want to be everything for everyone, and we also don’t want to be something we’re not. We must be must be true to ourselves. And we think Covington is amazing today with incredible opportunity and momentum. This brand helps us come together with a hopeful and optimistic voice. It will help the City distinguish itself as a residential and business friendly environment."

So what happens to the historic seal? It goes away. At Tuesday night's city commission meeting, Assistant City Manager Frank Warnock said that the City expects people to mock and hack the image, and that's part of its development. The City hopes to see people's creative interpretations of what the logo can be used for, even if it's a negative reflection.

Covington, after all, is alive.

When the image first surfaced, some city leaders were not optimistic, but the image was bolstered by this accompanying video:

So, what do you think? Weigh in at The River City News Facebook page, Twitter, or email us!