New banners that identify and promote downtown Oxford were placed on light poles along Washington and Burdick streets last week.

Employees from the Department of Public Works hung 24 dark blue banners with white lettering that proclaims, “Downtown Oxford. Small. Done Right.”

“I think they look great,” said Joe Frost, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA). “I think (they’re) more aesthetically pleasing than the ones we had up there.”

The DDA purchased a total of 48 banners for $2,300 from Northern Lights Display, a company based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

In addition to the 24 everyday banners, there are 24 holiday-themed banners with red and white coloring and images of snowflakes and evergreen trees. These will go up during the Christmas season.

Frost said the old everyday banners that had been greeting visitors for the last 10 to 15 years, “we’re starting to look a little worn.”

“The colors had faded quite a bit,” he said.

These new banners look crisp and fresh in comparison.

“It shows the businesses and our community that we’re not stagnant, that we’re continuing to improve our look, improve our aesthetics,” Frost said. “I think it will make a visual impact on the downtown and hopefully, serve us well for many years to come.”

Frost said the new everyday banners were also an opportunity to utilize the “Small. Done Right.” tagline.

This tagline was created in 2012 by Arnett Muldrow & Associates, a firm based in Greenville, South Carolina.

The DDA paid this firm $6,000 to do a branding campaign for Oxford.