SINT MAARTEN (CAY HILL) – Over the past several weeks, staff of St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) had the opportunity to vote for their favorite St. Maarten General Hospital (SMGH) logo and the most popular version was revealed during a well-attended event held at the open-air patio area of SMMC on Friday January 15, 2021.
The SMGH logo reveal was part of a presentation done on behalf of the Evaluation Committee that guided the SMGH brand identity development process. The companies that were selected last year as a result of the open tender (RFP) project are creative agency Silo, who have done impressive work on similar brand identity and wayfinding projects for hospitals and local designer Loic Bryan from Artistic Drive who assisted Silo in the brand development process. Bryan was on hand during the presentation to explain how each of the 3 logo concepts was arrived at. The brand identity development process entailed elaborate staff workshops and stakeholder interviews to distil their expectations and preferences, defined as the brand values for developing the SMGH brand, of which the logo makes up one of the visual identity components.
The chosen logo that resonated most with staff is part of the “Our Hospital” creative concept that Silo developed and has as explanation (brand rationale) that the new hospital relates to all of us, no matter who you are, and that we are proud to be part of it. This inclusiveness is embedded in the logo by way of the light green “plus” (+) symbol which simultaneously is also a universal identifier for healthcare (the cross) and is applied in the overall SMGH brand mentality. The green color of the logo synchronizes with the natural colors chosen by the architect for the interior of the SMGH building who was inspired by the natural esthetics of the mangroves at the nearby Little Bay pond.
The staff were also given an update on the current and upcoming construction activities of the new hospital and an SMGH scale model was unveiled by SMMC’s Medical Director Dr. Felix Holiday, Supervisory Council Vice Chairman Jim Rosen and other SMMC team members after which all attendees were treated to cupcakes branded with the chosen SMGH logo. The scale model has been placed at SMMC’s main entrance for easy viewing for patients, visitors and staff.
