Goodbye Bayside, Hello to an Edgy New Downtown Santa Monica

By Melonie Magruder
Lookout Staff

July 7, 2011 – If you’ve been wondering about the new banners popping up around town that feature an eclipse-like image, with the tag line, “everyone’s downtown,” it’s due to a new baby. Bayside District Corporation has been re-branded – rising like a phoenix - as Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.

Ambassadors let loose to the strains of "Downtown." Photos by Melonie Magruder

In their official launch on the Third Street Promenade Wednesday, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. invited city officials to explain the reasons for the renaissance and what the transformation means for residents, visitors and merchants.

Mayor Richard Bloom greeted attendees wearing neon green-framed sunglasses and a welcoming smile, noting that the scale of “downtown” Santa Monica has changed over the years.

“The Promenade holds it all together as the glue,” Bloom said. “But now, from Ocean Avenue almost to Lincoln and from Wilshire all the way to the ten freeway, we’re all one big district now called…”

He paused for the response and was rewarded with a lusty “Down Town Santa Monica!” from the crowd.

Everyone's Downtown, and that includes Mayor Bloom.

As the primary image–builder and marketing maven for the heart of the city, Bayside District has constructed a brand that shows off the Santa Monica as a hip hangout for both residents and tourists. The new image is of a district that invites an egalitarian mix of families, singles, visitors, merchants and artists to celebrate the commercial center for its inherent fun.

As Mayor Bloom said, “It’s not just for shopping and dining out, it’s for living. This is our city’s living room.”

Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. CEO Kathleen Rawson said of the name-change, “We’re looking to change our perceived image of a shopping mall focusing only on Third Street and Santa Monica Place to a more urban community that really does define our true downtown.”

Along with the new name, a new logo simplifies the marketing message: multi-hued eclipse images titled “down town santa monica.” Rawson said that a lot of branding research had gone into the search for something more recognizable than “Bayside District.”

“The answer was right in front of our eyes," she said, "Downtown Santa Monica. Because everybody knows the name Santa Monica.”

A tag line punches up the new campaign: “Everybody’s downtown,” which could mean that it’s a downtown for everybody or that downtown is where everybody is headed.

“The eclipse represents the fact that downtown Santa Monica is on the edge,” Rawson said. “It’s edgy. And it’s literally on the edge of the continent, of the Pacific Ocean.”

As part of the launch, DTSM is offering a summer of outdoor activities. Wednesday nights will see outdoor movies on the Promenade (between Wilshire and Arizona), beginning with “The Princess Bride.”

Dating Downtown introduces a Saturday date night series that feature couples’ bike tours, wine tasting, dancing, yoga and art parties (registrations can be made at www.buylocalmarket.com).

Local merchants seemed enthusiastic with the re-branding.

Hanne Hartnell has run the eponymously-named bridal salon, Hartnell, in Santa Monica for more than a decade and welcomes DTSM’s push to re-brand and expand the city as destination.

“Bayside did so much for us,” Hartnell, who is working with DTSM to re-design uniforms for the city’s “roving ambassadors,” said.

“They really cleaned it up. Not just the streets, but the alleys, and they made everything so inviting. It’s a fun place to visit even if you live here.”

At the end of Rawson’s remarks, a street musician began to strum a cheery tune. Suddenly, a flash mob of sober, be-hatted “ambassadors” appeared, stripped off their staid, button-down shirts to reveal bright yellow tees with the new DTSM logo.

To a Niki Harris remix of Petula Clark’s 1960’s hit “Downtown,” the crowd of DTSM dancers filled the Promenade and showed everyone just how hip the city’s new identity would be.

Edgy, apparently, is the new downtown Santa Monica.