The City of Abilene revealed its new logo and slogan, “Abilene Frontiering” on Nov.11. More than a year in the works, the new catchphrase will be implemented slowly across the city. Officials say full “roll out” could take years. In the meantime, Abilene residents have been able to mull over the change and its consequences, including the cost: $432,000 of taxpayers’ money.

Some are excited by the change. Others hate it and wonder why change was necessary. We think it sounds familiar.

The city hired North Star Destination Strategies a year ago to suggest a marketing label to replace Abilene’s former catchphrase, “The Friendly Frontier.” For $107,000 they came up with “Abilene Frontiering.”

“Frontiering” is not even a word. “Frontier” is a noun, which the English syntax does not allow to magically transform into a verb. Of course, there remains something to be said for coining catchy phrases in the advertising business, and word-invention even has its place at times, but one might think $107,000 could buy something a little less recycled.

Additionally, some city business owners already have indicated that printing the logo on small objects, like pins and buttons, will be difficult because of its design.

Abilene Independent School District already has its own logo, did not adopt the City of Abilene’s previous catchphrase and does not plan to implement this one. While the school district has been independent of the city in such matters in the past, surely, $107,000 should have been enough to design an ad that could have attracted unity among the community.

But perhaps change- something desired across the nation these days-was the primary reason for the replacement. Truly, change tends to excite people, for good or bad. It gets people interested in city affairs. Maybe as long as the logo shows small improvements, its benefits will outweigh its costs.

Unfortunately, that is an unlikely result. Beyond the community’s reaction to the logo, the meaning itself holds less potency than the previous slogan. “The Friendly Frontier” maintained positive connotations merely in the words it used. “Abilene Frontiering” simply is. It is not negative; it is not positive. It will not attract tourists unless they are misled into believing Abilene is still “frontiering,” in which case they will be sorely disappointed to see that we are all generally civilized and caught up with technology.

The City of Abilene should take the $432,000 required to implement “Abilene Frontiering” and use it to better the city’s actual conditions, not its catchphrase.