Photo Credit: John Canan (Mountains & Rivers Media) and Tri County Council of Western Maryland
Long before it was a brand, Mountain Maryland was a region characterized by Appalachian ridgelines and generations of people who built their lives around the land. Tri County Council for Western Maryland (TCCWMD), which stewarded this legacy for more than five decades of purposeful economic development work, had new leadership, new momentum, and wanted a brand identity that could meet the moment.
TCCWMD has served as a regional partner in economic and community development since 1971, when it formed to advance opportunities in Allegany, Garrett, and Washington counties. The organization works collaboratively with partners to power regional economic development initiatives, grow job opportunities, and enhance the quality of life that makes Mountain Maryland extraordinary.
TCCWMD engaged PPR Strategies to build a brand identity that matched the organization’s renewed direction: something memorable, fresh, and capable of representing all three counties under one cohesive, regional identity.
Before design work began, PPR Strategies worked with the TCCWMD team to understand their vision. A custom brand questionnaire was distributed to team members, targeting key areas including the organization, the audience, the brand itself, and the desired design direction. Questions ranged from color preferences and likes and dislikes to organizational values, logo usage contexts, and what set TCCWMD apart from its peers. The responses ensured everyone was moving in the same direction from day one.
A clear vision emerged for a soft, grounded color palette inspired by the landscape of Western Maryland: serene and rooted in a strong sense of place. Earthy greens evoke the forests and rolling highlands. Navy blue conveys the waters of Deep Creek Lake, along with trust and stability. The wheat-colored tone nods to the fertile valleys, reinforcing the region’s agricultural legacy. From there, PPR Strategies worked with the designer and the TCCWMD team through rounds of logo concepts, refining color and design based on team feedback, until landing on an identity that resonated.
PPR Strategies created a rollout plan to ensure consistency across every touchpoint: signature blocks, business cards, pop-up promotional banners, templates, and an annual report. The annual report was the centerpiece of the rollout, emphasizing TCCWMD’s warmth, approachability, and role as a trusted partner to small businesses and stakeholders throughout the community. PPR Strategies advised on the narrative structure and storytelling to keep the focus on people rather than programs, ensuring the report communicated impact alongside the refreshed identity.
“Working with PPR on the branding project was simple, straightforward, and they guided us through the process so that it was efficient for the whole team at Tri County Council,” shared Elizabeth Stahlman, Executive Director. “Not only was the team at PPR a pleasure to work with, but the end result is something we love and reflects our organization well.”
A rebrand succeeds when it reflects much more than new ideas or a different color palette. To be effective, it must capture an organization’s mission and the moment it’s stepping into. PPR Strategies guided TCCWMD through every step of this transformation, bringing a new identity to life with collaboration and care.
