Agenda Item Wording:
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Receive an update on the City-wide marketing and rebranding project, including recommended, updated logo and color palette, and provide input for next steps.
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Deadline for Action: 11/6/2023
Submitting Department: Administration
Contact Name and Phone Number: Allison Mackey, Communications Manager, 713-4535
Department Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Visalia City Council review and accept the revised logoas presented and review the color palettes presented and choose one, completing the logo and branding color portion of the Citywide rebranding.
Background Discussion:
In previous action, City Council approved a City-wide marketing and rebranding capital improvement project. We the Creative (WTC) was awarded the contract for the project through a competitive bid process. The overarching goal is to update the City’s identity, image, and brand to market the positive aspects of working for and living in the City of Visalia, as well as create a cohesive, modern, identifiable look to be used throughout the organization.
The process of rebranding began with a discovery phase examining the City of Visalia’s strengths, challenges, personality, organizational culture, and key attributes. This phase involved WTC meeting with the City’s project team, taking tours of the community, conducting roundtable discussions and focus groups that included City Council, City staff, residents, business owners, and staff from other stakeholder organizations.
Additional outreach included digital community surveys that were available to the public at large and were accompanied by targeted outreach to community partners such as Kaweah Health and the Visalia Chamber of Commerce and Tulare Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The results of the survey were reviewed and WTC then held further focus groups and one on one meetings to verify what the survey results had presented.
Ultimately, WTC found that there was a strong agreement that the results of the survey and the information culled from the community, (over 800 individual interactions), presented a cohesive vision of Visalia. This included the statements that Visalia had a small town/hometown feel with big city feel/amenities, that the city was vibrant with a good downtown and that Visalia was family friendly oriented. Through the discovery phase, WTC noted the words simple, casual, traditional, friendly, agriculture and diverse were repeated across discussions and focus groups. In discussion of a logo, respondents shared they would like it to be simple, artistic, colorful, and modern, while the top visuals they identified would include agriculture, oak trees, view of the mountains and downtown. All of this information from conversations, surveys and interviews informed how the logo options and brand messaging components were developed.
Logo
One of the first steps in the branding process was to create a logo that is visually appealing, recognizable, and representative of Visalia. The input received during discovery indicated it should be simple, artistic, colorful, and modern. WTC initially presented 29 logo concept options, which were then narrowed down to a top three after review and input from the internal project team, City department heads, and staff. Council was also provided an opportunity to, individually, review the top options. From that input, a single concept was selected which is referred to as the “Breaking through the V” option.
Using that concept, WTC was asked to develop style variations of that logo. At the August 7, 2023 Council Meeting, WTC and City staff presented five variations of the “Breaking through the V” logo for Council consideration and input. The Council chose logo V5, which depicted rolling hills, a building, and mountains in the distance, with the direction that staff work with WTC to come back with a slightly redesigned logo, one that included the building to appear more like the Fox Theatre.
WTC has developed what is referred to as the R5 logo, herein referred to as R5-Fox Theatre and presented in Attachment A. This R5-Fox Theatreversion of the logo represents the direction of the City Council and has been previously reviewed by the Rebranding Committee and the Rebranding Department Head Subcommittee. The Rebranding Committee and the Rebranding Department Head Subcommittee recommend logo R5-Fox Theatre as the final City logo design.
Color Palette
A key piece of the logo is the color palette, as the chosen color palette will be how the logo is presented in color and will represent the new City of Visalia brand colors. WTC developed color palettes created from information obtained through discovery, and further developed and refined those palettes through input from the Rebranding Committee and the Department Head Subcommittee. Council is now presented with Color Palette 1, Color Palette 2 and Color Palette 3, showcased in Attachment B.
Each of the three palettes are different in the colors utilized and how they complement the logo. To display how these palettes would work within a City of Visalia logo, WTC has showcased the color palettes within the R5- Fox Theatre logo. Each of the Color Palettes include primary colors, secondary (accent) colors, a neutral color and a text color. Primary colors help a brand be identified quickly and are a brand’s fundamental colors. Secondary colors are used alongside primary colors, and are typically accent colors that do not distract from the primary colors. A neutral color was chosen for the color of the Fox Theater in each sample while the text color chosen for each sample is black.
Color Palette 1 includes green as the primary color, a color known for prosperity, the natural world and safety. Color Palette 2 has dark tan as a primary color, a color that evokes warmth, security and stability. Color Palette 3has lavender as a primary color, representing creativity and the arts, and is also known for being associated with royalty. Each of the logos are multi-colored, which are known for representing a united organization that is open to all, capturing diversity and sociability.
The color palette ultimately chosen will be the official color palette of the City of Visalia and will provide brand consistency. It will not only be used in the color version of the logo, but will be the official color palette from which other graphic design elements, as well as the redesign of the City website, will draw color informed direction.
The Rebranding Committee recommends Color Palette 1, and the Department Head Subcommittee recommends Color Palette 2.
Next Steps
Staff asks for Council input, and approval, of the new City logo, R5-Fox Theatre, and then their choice of color palette.
Once the City Council reviews the deliverables presented with the logo and color palette, and directs staff on next steps, the Citywide Rebranding process will move forward as directed. This will ultimately include further brand development, creation of marketing campaigns, and photography/videography products. City Council will be provided an update as the process moves forward.
Fiscal Impact:
None with the action requested. The City currently has a Professional Services Agreement with firm We The Creative to complete the rebranding process through contracted services for a total of $150,000. This Citywide Rebranding scope of work includes: 1) Brand Audit: Provide recommendations on redesigning/enhancing existing templates, marketing and promotional materials and other relevant documents, 2) Visual Identity Design: Create a brand visual identity based on knowledge obtained through the branding and communications strategy process, 3) City Identity, Brand Development and Positioning: Brand Promise/Key Marketing Messages, Marketing Tagline, Wordmark, General Use Template Development, Fleet Branding, Solid Waste Truck Branding and Website Content, 4) Marketing Campaigns: Develop specific marketing campaigns (including conception, information architecture, creative design, copywriting and graphic design) that focus on clearly and reflectively marketing the City of Visalia, 5) Brand Hierarch: Provide recommendations on how to best accomplish folding the various City Departments under the unified messaging of the City organization, 6) Visual Identity Guidelines: Create a visual identity guidelines document or Style Book, 7) Photography: Library of 50 photos, 20 B-roll, 10-20 second videos, 8) Videography: A one-minute video giving an overview, benefits of living and working in Visalia.
Prior Council Action: August 7, 2023 - Council received an update on the City-wide marketing and rebranding project, directed staff to present a redesigned logo with additional elements and approved a new mission statement, vision statement, brand promise, values and tagline. April 17, 2023 - As part of the review of the Fiscal Year 2022/23 mid-year financial report, Council made a General Fund Capital Project appropriation of $50,000 for City rebranding implementation. August 15, 2022 - Council authorized staff to conduct a citywide rebranding process, appropriated an additional $25,000 to cover the costs of completing the administrative portion of the City of Visalia Human Resources Marketing and Branding Services, and appropriated $75,000 to cover the anticipated costs of undertaking and completing the administrative portion of the City of Visalia rebranding (Citywide Rebranding). Council authorized staff to utilize the services of We The Creative (by amending their contract with the City of Visalia Human Resources Division) for a project total of $150,000. March 21, 2022 - City Council approved Proposed Capital Projects by Fund, Project # ADCP09 City Logo Refreshment for Fiscal Year 2024-25 for a total of $50,000. March 15, 2021- City Council reviewed Fiscal Year 2020/2021 mid-year financial report with recommended budget appropriations and authorized the Capital Project Request of City Rebranding for $50,000 to be used for initial implementation of the new branding.
Other: None.
Alternatives: 1. Direct staff to work with We The Creative to apply any desired edits/revisions to the materials presented and re-present the revised options at an upcoming Council meeting. 2. Direct staff to work with We The Creative to develop additional, new options for either the logo or the color palette, or for both items.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
Approve the new City of Visalia logo R5-Fox Theatreand choose the new City of Visalia color palette, (Color Palette 1, Color Palette 2, or Color Palette 3, dependent on Council choice).
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: 1) Attachment A, 2) Attachment B, 3) COV Rebranding Update to Council_11.6.23 PowerPoint