The Power of Words: Can a Community Be Too Welcoming?

Throughout GrahamSpencer’s decades of building brands and crafting messaging, we have always believed in the power of research to drive winning strategies. 

Sometimes the outcomes of our research-driven, insight-led process challenges deeply-held personal beliefs. Other times, it confirms them. Our confidence in the rigor and objectivity of our proprietary GSearch  process was recently highlighted when some of our work unexpectedly made waves in the arena of local politics.

In 2018, GoRockford (formerly Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau) invited GS to design a new welcoming message for a sculpture garden that had, for years, featured a coneflower-bedecked “Welcome” message at the city’s easternmost gateway. 

RACVB had assigned muralist Justus Roe to repaint the large, bent-metal figures in his colorful style, but needed a bold new welcoming statement crafted and designed to get the attention of visitors. The project was part of RACVB’s Forest City Beautiful, a broader civic beautification initiative, for which GrahamSpencer had also led branding and design. 

Coincidentally at that time, GrahamSpencer was deeply engaged in researching and designing an aggressive GSearch-fueled business investment campaign for the Rockford Area Economic Development Council. Our research findings underscored a critical insight: to be attractive to business investment, cities must be attractive to talent. And, “talent,” particularly knowledge workers and creative professionals, seek out communities that are diverse, inclusive and welcoming to people of all backgrounds. 

The notion, verified and published broadly, affirmed that diverse, cognitively agile teams solve problems faster, more collaboratively and produce better creative solutions than less diverse teams. And, studies revealed that knowledge workers were gravitating to cities known for inclusivity such as Austin, Denver and Seattle, which actively fostered public postures affirming LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant-friendly policies and racial equity initiatives. In the economic development campaign, that principle informed headlines like: “Open Arms Know No Denomination in Welcoming Rockford, Illinois.”

With this knowledge in hand, we set out to create a simple, powerful message for RACVB that was extra-welcoming:  

For years, the sign stood without issue—until February 2025, when it unexpectedly became the center of a heated City Council debate. Some officials argued the message was too welcoming. They said it could be too easily misinterpreted as an open invitation to criminals or undocumented immigrants.

But the community didn’t see it that way. A passionate online discussion erupted in support of the message, and ultimately, a City Council committee passed a resolution affirming its meaning. Mayor Tom McNamara backed it, stating:

I thought the sign met our values and … welcomed people without limitations. I support the sign.

– Mayor Tom McNamara

Conventional wisdom says brands should avoid controversy, but watching hundreds of community members defend a message we created years prior was a powerfully affirming moment for our GrahamSpencer team. And, in an era of AI bots and online trolling, it was refreshing to see real people engage in meaningful debate about our city’s identity and values.

Rockford’s history – built by generations of immigrants, from Swedes and Italians to African-Americans and Hispanics – proves our ability to integrate diverse cultures. That legacy isn’t just about the past; it’s about shaping a future that continues to attract both talent and opportunity.

At GS, we craft messaging that doesn’t just last – it resonates, provokes thought and stands the test of time. If your business or organization needs truly inspired, enduring strategic branding, messaging and storytelling, let’s talk.