Community Advisory Committee

 In early 2021 Cambridge Waterfront Development Inc. (CWDI) selected a diverse group of locals to be a part of a Community Advisory Committee tasked with spearheading the naming and branding of the future waterfront project. This group—hailing from various local private enterprises, Dorchester County tourism, and the public school system—represented Cambridge and served as a barometer for BCT Design Group’s (BCT) Branding and Graphics team to learn what was authentically Cambridge—responding and providing feedback to develop the project’s name, messaging, and visual identity. 

Throughout the course of a year and four months the Community Advisory Committee met to discuss topics such as:

• Opportunities & Payoffs/Results
• Guiding Principles & Positioning Statement
• Site and Amenity Naming
• Visual Brand Styles

Their work culminated in an in-person Community Brand Presentation and Workshop that was held on April 7th, 2022 at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School. During this workshop of over 200 community members, Dion Banks and Brennan Murray, Studio Director at BCT’s Branding and Graphics Studio, presented to the larger community the Advisory Committee’s process through a series of exercises and discussion points. In particular, the community was presented with three finalized name options for the waterfront site that they were able to vote on: Cambridge Harbor, Port Cambridge, or Waterfront Cambridge.

“We worked diligently to develop names for the waterfront project that represented our community,” said Mr. Banks of the year-long process. “Our city and county are unique because of our ties to the water, our appreciation for our heritage, and our sense of community. We must use this naming opportunity to celebrate who we are and share it with others.”