Discover Cut Bank: Our True Montana Billboard
- cbmarketplaceonmai
- May 6
- 2 min read
When is a billboard more than just a sign alongside the road?
Many who live and work in our Cut Bank community find much to be proud of, but at times our rural modesty gets in the way of tooting our horn so to speak. Recently a beautiful big billboard went up alongside Highway 2, just east of town, and it aims to show folks far and wide just who we are and what we have to offer. The old adage “it takes a village…” certainly came into play with this project.
The logo: Cut Bank went through a comprehensive branding project several years ago under the guidance of Rebel River Creative (Billings, MT). Descriptors that came to the forefront when describing our community were “welcoming, gritty, adventurous, and down-to-earth”. The logo’s colors, fonts, and image were carefully chosen to evoke those feelings, as was the tagline, “True Montana”. Our town’s logo and tagline are front and center, right where they should be.
The background photo: When it was time to start designing, it made perfect sense to feature a photo that showcases the True Montana beauty of our area. Local photographer Matt Overstreet was asked to provide images of the surrounding area and the one featured on the billboard is just perfect. Note how Cut Bank Creek is shown in Matt’s photo and how it mirrors the creek depicted in the logo.
The website: The Cut Bank community has been actively engaged in studies and surveys that reveal strengths and points for improvement from a visitor’s perspective. Many people, even locals, have remarked that they don’t know what Cut Bank has to offer or where to find amenities. A comprehensive website seemed like an obvious solution. Rich Gannon, our area’s SBDC Rural Business Advisor, assisted with the original website build, and the Cut Bank Chamber of Commerce will work to maintain and update the site.
The funding support and design: The billboard fabrication and installation for year one was made possible with the support of Stockman Bank and a marketing grant provided by Western Montana’s Glacier Country Tourism. Partial funding for year two has been offered by Glacier County Economic Development (dba Glacier County Regional Port Authority). As a stakeholder, the Stockman Bank marketing team designed the website following the Yesco Outdoor media specifications.
When is a billboard more than just a sign alongside the road? When a group of community-minded locals work together to share the story of their town in a concise and beautiful way.
Lisa Cline
Proud Resident and Community Advocate
Cut Bank, MT
Comentarios