Centra unveils new brand and logo

Culminating a month-long regional teaser campaign, Centra president George W. Dawson unveiled a new brand and logo for Centra on Wednesday-–the first logo in the health care system’s 20 year history.
“We have evolved into a very different organization since Centra was founded 20 years ago,” said Dawson. “Today we are a world-class health care system serving our regional community–our family, our friends and our neighbors. This is apparent in our national rankings as a Magnet hospital and Solucient 100 Top Cardiovascular hospital as well as our earning the highest ratings from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons for quality and Press Ganey’s Summit Award for patient satisfaction. It is evident in our major construction projects with the East Tower and Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center, the partners who have joined our Centra family and the expansion of the geographical area we serve. With these changes, it is now necessary for us to be focused on conveying this message to our region and tying our Centra name more closely to our facilities and services.  
“I am excited about our new brand because it is about the people we serve and the value we bring to them and their families by providing the highest levels of clinical quality and service,” said Dawson. “Our mission: ‘Excellent care … every time’ remains unchanged. Our new brand builds on our history and pioneering spirit with a strong focus on innovation and change. This is not about a new direction, rather it is about clearly representing who we are, what we value and how we are distinct from other choices our region has for health care.”
“As a partner with Centra, we are very excited about the new brand and logo and how it will tie all Centra facilities and services together,” said Gwen Eddleman, president of Southside Community Hospital. “We are very patient oriented, and this new brand reflects our focus on our patients.”
 “We have never had a logo until now,” said Bill Varner, Centra vice president who oversees Centra’s communications and marketing services. “We wanted a visual identity that would be easily recognized as Centra.” Varner said the mountain logo and the word “Centra” are now the dominant elements of the logo. “Our new symbol represents both Centra and the people of the region we serve,” he said.
Varner noted that with the new brand, Centra advertisements and television commercials will focus on patients and families who have been helped by Centra, and are back to enjoying their lives to the fullest. “They are our family, our friends and our neighbors,” Varner said. “They are the reason and sole purpose for Centra, and we will be showcasing their stories.”
Throughout September, Centra has been running a teaser campaign designed to generate community interest about the new logo. Centra used a wide range of materials to display just the logo without linking its Centra identity. As part of the campaign, people were directed to a special website, whatizit.org. The Centra logo has been showing up in many unusual places—from people who wore tattoos to buildings. Centra used a gobo light, a high-powered theatrical light capable of shining up to a 15-foot image of the logo on a building, to display the image throughout the region. The logo also appeared in central and southside Virginia on mini footballs, popcorn bags, koozies, window statics, stickers and cards as well as in a teaser ad shown in area movie theaters.
Starting today, the logo will begin appearing with the Centra name on Centra signs, billboards, clothing, buildings, vehicles, stationery, brochures, business cards and other printed materials as well as in print advertisements and television commercials.
For more information about the new brand and logo or about Centra, please call (434) 200-4730 or visit www.centrahealth.com.