Agenda Item Wording:
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Receive an update on the City-wide marketing and rebranding project, including recommended logo and tagline, and provide input for next steps.
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Deadline for Action: 8/7/2023
Submitting Department: Administration
Contact Name and Phone Number: Allison Mackey, Communications Manager, 713-4535; Diane Davis, Human Resources Manager, 713-4575
Department Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Visalia City Council review the options presented and select the new City logo, mission statement, vision statement, brand promise, values, and tagline.
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 Development
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. Presented tonight are five variations of the “Breaking through the V” logo for Council consideration and input (Attachment A). Once a final option is selected from these, WTC will develop various color schemes and font designs for review.
Brand Messaging
In addition to the logo, brand messaging components have also been developed which will be used to further identify and market the City of Visalia. These components were created from information obtained through discovery and further developed and refined through input from the project team and the department head subcommittee (For reference, Attachment B shows existing logo and brand messaging).
Staff asks for Council input, and preferably approval, of the following recommended items as outlined in detail in the WTC presentation (Attachment A). If Council is not comfortable with any or all of these items, Council may provide additional direction to Staff and the consultant. The recommended options (With 3 tagline options for Council to consider)
• Mission Statement
o Our mission is to enhance the lives of Visalians by providing services and solutions that create a vibrant and connected community.
• Vision Statement
o To create a vibrant, inclusive, and connected community where people thrive and enjoy a strong sense of place and opportunity.
• Brand Promise
o In all we do, we do it with heart. The City of Visalia and our employees are dedicated to providing quality services and creative solutions to make the community a place we are proud to call home. We strive to deliver services in an approachable and friendly way - the Visalia way.
• City Values
o Community: We care deeply for our community and strive to provide transparency and equitable services in an approachable and friendly way.
o Opportunity: We are dedicated to enhancing Visalia by providing opportunities for economic and social development.
o Vibrancy: We embrace unique perspectives and backgrounds to create a vibrant and welcoming community.
• Tagline
o Visalia: A Better Way of Living (WTC, DHG and Committee recommendation)
o Experience Visalia. Enhance Your Life. (HR/Recruitment Specific)4
o Visalia: Creating a Better Way of Living
Next Steps
Once the City Council reviews the deliverables created thus far 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: 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 any or all of the items presented (new City logo, mission statement, vision statement, brand promise, values and tagline).
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
Approve the new City of Visalia logo number (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, dependent on Council choice), the new Mission Statement, Vision Statement, Brand Promise, City Values and Tagline.
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: A) City of Visalia Logo Explorations and Brand Messaging presentation, B) Current City of Visalia logo and messaging