December 11, 2015 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com • 5A
Rebranding Seaside gives us opportunity for promotion
How do you describe Seaside
to your friends, neighbors and rel-
atives? Better yet, how would you,
if asked? You may have an answer
on the tip of your tongue. Perhaps
you have a different description de-
pending on who you are talking to?
There’s no right or wrong answer.
However, in the world of destina-
tion marketing, the task is to make
sure that description resonates with
prospective visitors. We want to in-
spire them to visit and we want to
be authentic in our portrayal of this
great place.
For the past two months we’ve
been working side-by-side with
Portland-based Lookout Consult-
ing, and a team of three branding
experts, to reimagine Seaside’s
identity and determine how it is
that we should and will talk about
Seaside.
SIDE RAIL
JON RAHL
This decision to rebrand our
communications did not come over-
night. As I look back on it, it was
an evolving decision that gained
steam in mid-April during my at-
tendance at the 2015 Oregon Gov-
ernor’s Conference on Tourism. I
was asked if Seaside would serve
as a case study during a session on
developing an integrated marketing
plan. Never one to shy away from
constructive feedback — and free I
might add — I had no hesitation in
agreeing to the exercise.
While the session offered a ho-
listic look at our content develop-
ment, the team of panelists also
recommended a simple yet impact-
ful new approach to Seaside’s ad-
vertising creative; this new think-
ing really encouraged me to take
the next step towards rebranding.
After consulting with my Tourism
Advisory Committee, the decision
was made to hatch this project.
Beginning in early January, the
descriptions, colors and identity of
Seaside marketing will change dra-
matically and I could not be more
excited about the new direction
and opportunity it will give us. A
new primary logo features vari-
ous icons that celebrate the unique
identity of our town, echoing the
love and nostalgia visitors have felt
for Seaside for generations, while
introducing a visual abundance of
what to see and do here in vibrant
coastal colors. With this new logo,
we will also roll out a new tagline.
It’s easy to Seaside will become
our new consumer facing tagline.
It speaks to our audiences leading
hectic lives in nearby urban areas
about how easy it is to have a fan-
tastic time in Seaside. The tagline
will anchor our new brand cam-
paign, which tells visitors how to
experience all the amazing things
to do and see in and around town
through fun, informative “how to”
instructions.
It will not entirely replace More
Than Just a Day at the Beach —
which has been our tagline since
the late 1990s. We look at it instead
as an evolution. There are times
where the More Than… can and
will be used. But as we develop
new advertising creative, we will
want to use It’s easy to Seaside to
play off of the new “how to” exe-
cutions we’ll be introducing.
This “how to” campaign will not
only give us a way to have fun (by
telling people how to eat taffy), but
also allow us a way to describe to
new visitors how to do something
that maybe didn’t seem so obvi-
ous (like ¿ nding the perfect hike or
learning how to dig for razor clams).
It’s dif¿ cult to summarize a 48-
page style guide down to a 600-
word column, but whether you are a
life-long resident, a casual part-timer
with a second home or a prospective
new visitor, the ceiling is truly high
in the number of ways we can tell
everyone that It’s easy to Seaside!
Have a thought or a question
about tourism in Seaside? Drop me
an email at jrahl@cityofseaside.us.
Jon Rahl is the director of tourism
for the Seaside Visitors Bureau and
assistant general manager of the
Seaside Civic & Convention Center.
Obituaries
HOLIDAY LIGHTS
Helen H. Alto Raasina
Aug. 11, 1916 — Nov. 21, 2015 (Warrenton)
Helen H. Alto Raasina,
age 99, a lifelong resident
of Seaside and Astoria, was
born Aug. 11, 1916, in Sea-
side, Oregon, to Finnish im-
migrants, Frank Nestor and
Hilma Louisa Alto.
Raised in Seaside, Ore-
gon, Helen was one of four
children, and the last re-
maining sibling. She grad-
uated from Seaside High
School in 1934. After high
school, Helen lived and
worked in Beaver, Oregon,
for a short time, working in
the mill.
On Aug. 31, 1940, Hel-
en married Bill Raasina,
who preceded her in death
in 1982. They lived on the
Raasina Dairy farm in Ol-
ney, providing milk to near-
by communities and all of
Astoria. Helen designed
the milk bottle tab caps that
sealed the glass milk bot-
tles in the 1940s, and Bill
and his brothers worked
the farm and delivered the
milk.
They enjoyed dancing
in Seaside at the Bungalow
Helen Raasina
Dance Hall in the 1930s and
1940s to the big bands who
traveled to Seaside during
the war years. In the 1950s,
she and her family moved
to North Bend, Oregon, liv-
ing there for about 12 years,
as a mother and homemak-
er, raising her family. The
Raasina family returned to
live in Astoria in 1964.
Helen moved to San Di-
ego, California, to be near
her daughter in 2000, and
lived a few places around
the city. She eventually
missed the Oregon rain,
and moved back to spend
her last years in Astoria and
Seaside. She served as pres-
ident of the local Degree
of Honor society for many
years, and enjoyed traveling
to Finland with her brother
and his wife, visiting rela-
tives.
Helen was active in all
her years, loving clam dig-
ging, ¿ shing, gardening,
tennis, bicycle riding, sew-
ing, and taking up golf at
age 70, which she enjoyed
with her sister-in-law.
Helen is survived by
her daughter, Joy Raasi-
na Smith, and son-in-law,
Robert Smith, from San Di-
ego, California, and numer-
ous nieces and nephews.
Her oldest daughter, Susie,
died in 1971.
A private family grave-
side service was held in
Ocean View Cemetery in
Warrenton.
Hughes-Ransom Mor-
tuary is in charge of the
arrangements. An online
guest book may be signed at
www.hughes-ransom.com.
Daniel Heath Kennell
R.J. MARX PHOTO/SEASIDE SIGNAL
Feb. 3, 1985 — Dec. 4, 2015 (Astoria)
Doug Barker gets into the holiday spirit in Seaside with some tree decorating.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Monday, Dec. 14
Seaside City Council Meet-
ing, 7 p.m., City Hall, 989
Broadway.
Tuesday, Dec. 15
Union Health District, 8 a.m.,
Providence Hospital, Educa-
tion Room B.
Seaside School District, 6
p.m., 1801 S. Franklin St.
Seaside Planning Commis-
sion, work session, 7 p.m., City
Hall, 989 Broadway.
Wednesday, Dec. 16
Seaside Tourism Advisory
Commission, 3 p.m., City Hall,
989 Broadway.
Monday, Jan. 19
Seaside School District, 6
p.m., 1801 S. Franklin St.
Wednesday, Jan. 21
Seaside Tree Board, 4 p.m.,
City Hall, 989 Broadway.
Thursday, Dec. 17
Tuesday, Jan. 26
Seaside Transportation Ad-
visory Commission, 6 p.m.,
City Hall, 989 Broadway.
Seaside Airport Advisory
Committee, 6 p.m., City Hall,
989 Broadway.
Home for the Holidays camp starts Dec. 21
The Coaster Theatre
Playhouse will hold its 2015
Winter Kidz Camp this
December with the theme
Home for the Holidays.
The Coaster Theatre
Playhouse holds two to
three Kidz Camps each year.
Each camp focuses on three
common aspects of theater
arts: acting, singing and
dancing. This theater camp
can improve con¿ dence
and creativity, and campers
are exposed to teamwork,
respect and unlimited imag-
ination while creating a
show of their own. In addi-
tion to singing, acting, and
dancing, each camper will
create and apply their own
unique makeup designs.
The camp is for ages 8
and up. It runs from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Monday Dec. 21,
to Thursday, Dec. 24. A
camp performance will take
place Dec. 24, at 3 p.m. for
parents and families to en-
joy. Registration is $95 per
camper. Download the camp
registration form at coaster-
theatre.com. For more infor-
mation email executivedi-
rector@coastertheatre.com
or call 503-436-0609.
The Harbor offers support group for women
The Harbor’s Sexual
Assault Peer Center will
be offering a multi-week
support group for wom-
en who are survivors of
sexual violence. This
group meets Wednesdays
through Jan. 27, from 4
to 5 p.m. Group topics
include the importance of
self-care, developing cop-
ing skills to manage stress
and anxiety, identifying
the effects of sexual vio-
H appy H olidays Great Gift Ideas
lence, and inner strength
identi¿ cation.
For more information
and to register call Sharon
at The Harbor: 503-325-
3426, ext. 106, or visit
www.harbornw.org.
Daniel Heath Kennell, of
Astoria, went to be with the
Lord on Dec. 4, 2015.
Daniel was born on Feb.
3, 1985, in Astoria, Oregon,
to Van and Nancy Kennell.
He has one sister, Laurie
Kennell Major; a brother-
in-law, Jon Major; and two
nephews, Liam and Landon
Major.
Daniel attended Lewis
and Clark School and grad-
uated from Astoria High
School in 2003. He went on
to attend Clatsop Commu-
nity College. From there he
became an entrepreneur in
2006 as owner and manager
of the Seaside Radio Shack.
He also co-operated the
mobile DJ business, Have
Music Will Travel, with his
father.
Music was Daniel’s pas-
sion. Daniel was a member
of the Viking/Nordic Danc-
ers of Astoria, and to hon-
or his Swedish heritage he
was a member of the Vasa
Astor Lodge 215. At 9 he
had the starring role in the
Astor Street Opry musical,
“Oliver.” At 10 he was cho-
sen to be a member of the
Portland Children’s Choir,
and traveled to New York
to perform at Carnegie
Hall. His musical talents
were not limited to just
his voice. He was also an
accomplished pianist. He
pow ered b y
DANIEL KENNELL
accompanied many school,
church, and community ac-
tivities and events. He was
a member of Peace Luther-
an Church in Astoria.
Daniel’s other passion
was athletics, especially
basketball. In high school,
he played varsity basket-
ball, and his team went on
to win third at state. His se-
nior year he was co-captain,
Most Valuable Player, and
was selected as a part of the
Cowapa’s All-League team.
His friends and fami-
ly all describe Daniel as a
warm, kind-hearted, gen-
erous friend who looked
out for others without ex-
pecting anything in return.
His smile could light up a
room, and his humor was
infectious.
Daniel is survived by
his parents, Van and Nan-
cy Kennell of Astoria; and
a sister and brother-in-law,
Laurie Kennell Major and
Jon Major, along with two
nephews, Liam and Landon
Major of Coos Bay, Ore-
gon. He is also survived by
his grandparents, Bill and
Betty Cunningham of As-
toria, along with numerous
aunts, uncles and cousins.
He is preceded in death
by his grandfather, Ole
Johnson; and his grand-
parents, Ivan and Vivienne
Kennell.
Visitation will be from
3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec.
11, 2015, at Caldwell’s
Luce-Layton Mortuary in
Astoria.
A celebration of life will
be held at 11 a.m. on Satur-
day, Dec. 12, 2015, at North
Coast Family Fellowship
in Seaside, Oregon. A re-
ception will follow at the
church.
Graveside services will
be private, at Ocean V iew
Cemetery.
Memorial contributions
can be made to the Daniel
Kennell Memorial Music
Scholarship Fund. Dona-
tions may be sent to the
TLC Credit Union, 85 W.
Marine Drive, Astoria, OR
97103.
An online guest book
may be signed at www.
caldwellsmortuary.com.
R OBER T C AIN LD ,
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