STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: September 10, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Magdalena Davis Jones, Community Outreach Manager Subject: Citywide Holiday Banner Design Review
Attachments: 1. Recommended New Holiday Street pole Banner Design
2. Beverly Hills City Council Liaison/Rodeo Drive /Special Events /Holiday Program Committee Report from August 12, 2024
INTRODUCTION
This item presents the recommendation from the Beverly Hills City Council Liaison/Rodeo Drive /Special Events /Holiday Program Committee of Mayor Friedman and Councilmember Wells (Liaisons) regarding selection of new designs for the Citywide holiday street pole banners.
DISCUSSION
This report provides the City Council with the recommended new design for the selection of citywide holiday street pole banners (Attachment 1). On August 12, 2024, Liaisons Mayor Friedman and Councilmember Wells reviewed three different design options, and considered the design titled “Togetherness” to be moved forward for consideration. For the previous holiday seasons, different Citywide banner designs have been reviewed and recommended by Liaisons, with Council approval (Attachment 2).
Each year the City sponsors a signature holiday décor program, both Citywide and specific to Rodeo Drive, designed to celebrate the season and attract visitors from around the region to shop, dine and stay in Beverly Hills. For the 2024 holiday season, the Rodeo Drive Holiday Décor, and the 2024 Citywide holiday décor elements were reviewed and approved by the City Council on June 27, 2024. Furthermore, the holiday lighting celebration, to occur on Rodeo Drive on Thursday, November 14, 2024, was recommended by Liaisons and approved by the City Council as well to take place on that date, with the Council final review of the specific event elements and Rodeo Drive banners separately at this same Council Meeting.
For historical context, previous banner designs are included in the Liaison report (Attachment 2). As part of the 2017 holiday season, BOLD holiday banners were designed, and utilized during the 2017, 2018, and 2019 holiday seasons and installed citywide. During the 2020 holiday season, the #BHHealthyCity COVID-19 messaging banners were in place and the holiday banners were not installed that year. The banner Meeting Date: September 10, 2024
campaign selected in 2021 featured an updated bright and cheery holiday banner design to inspire a return to a more normal holiday season, as pandemic recovery continued, and has been in use for the past three years as both street pole banners and an overall creative suite for marketing the holiday season.
The traditional “lifespan” of the banner designs has been three years since approximately 2014. With their being hung at the start of November to pre-promote the holiday lighting and staying up for anywhere from 9-10 weeks until January’s décor removal, after three years there is significant wear and tear, including color fading, on the street pole banners.
Additionally, after three years, previous Council decisions have noted a branding refresh as necessary after that period of time, rather than refabricating the same banner designs, to keep the look current and the Beverly Hills branding at the forefront of holiday designs throughout the region.
It should also be noted that street pole holiday banners on Rodeo Drive have been designed and fabricated separately, in order to more closely match the unique décor themes the Rodeo Drive Committee requests of Council each year. Those are not included in this review, and will be presented separately with their Holiday Lighting Celebration proposal at this same Council meeting.
Additionally, since 2017, the street pole banner design has also served as a creative design suite, for the City’s internal graphic design team, as well as other stakeholders such as Metro, the Chamber of Commerce, and Conference and Visitors Bureau, to utilize for promotion of the season. Elements of the design suite can be found across advertisements, social media posts, physical wraps of holiday programming such as the “Jolly Trolley”, wayfinding signs, and Metro mitigation sound walls. For the purpose of this Council review and approval, a few examples of what those different treatments could look like also appear in Attachment 1.
Installation of all décor for this holiday season is scheduled for debut on Thursday, November 14, 2024, with the banners installed starting on November 3. Traditionally it takes about a week to install holiday banners, as they are Citywide instead of just in the business triangle, and many are lit to maximize the message during the longer evening hours of the winter. The removal of the holiday season banners and décor will begin on Monday, January 6, 2025.
In 2021, staff reached out to multiple different design firms to obtain quotes for creation of new holiday street pole banner designs. The City selected, after detailed review, the firm Symblaze with experience in branding and marketing, and significant work for other local governments to design the banners that have been hung the last 3 years. Symblaze is a full service digital agency based in West Hollywood with years of experience with design, branding and rebranding. The company has worked with several cities in the region, including projects for the City of West Hollywood and the City of Palm Springs, as well as for private clients such as Google, Vodafone and Sinclair Broadcast Group.
The contract with Symblaze and the City is current, and staff worked with them on a detailed process prior to the Liaison meeting which included a “discovery” phase for the redesign, as well as refinement of the selected proposed designs during 2 review rounds.
The Liaisons reviewed 3 different new designs, and selected “Togetherness” as the recommended design theme for Council approval, expressing that it felt elevated, representative of different holidays, and had a lot of options such as different fonts and a sparkle-type of background on each that would lend itself to a larger creative suite well.
Given its vertical layout for banners, additional designs that show samples of horizontal and square shapes are also included in Attachment 1.
Meeting Date: September 10, 2024
Please note that the recommended selection is for overall style, as specific objects and other details may change. Liaisons expressed some hesitation for the specific design elements within the Togetherness theme that included champagne glasses, and the dreidels. They recommended dreidels be placed alongside or replaced by menorah(s) on the final design. They also requested to see different treatments of the design beyond banners, to demonstrate how it may look on social media or physical wraps, and such variations are shown in the attachment with one design from the theme.
Liaisons also recommended continuing to use these designs for three years, as with previous banner designs. Once approved, Staff would continue to use the fabricated banners, and their various fonts/elements, as a creative suite, for other promotional and marketing material for the holiday season over the next three years, including advertisements, elevator clings, wrapping the trolley, wayfinding signage, and more.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no request for additional funding based on the design concepts provided in this report for citywide holiday street pole banners. Funds have already been allocated across the FY 2023/24 and FY 2024/25 Policy and Management budget for the design in FY23/24, and costs for the fabrication, installation, and removal of the holiday street pole banners in 2024 coming from FY24/25 CIP (No. 00635) for Citywide Decorative Lighting and Holiday Decorations. Approximately 435 holiday banners will be fabricated and hung.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff requests City Council provide direction and feedback regarding the recommended holiday street pole banner design concept “Togetherness”, or any requested specific updates, such as objects or text, to the preferred design. Staff also requests approval for the design to be utilized, as in years past, for three holiday seasons (2024-2026), as recommended by the Liaisons.
Keith Sterling,
Deputy City Manager
Approved By
Attachment 1
Beverly Hills
Holiday Street-Pole Banners
Council Presentation
03 September 2024 symblaze.com
Purpose
To present choices for the City’s holiday creative,
and reach consensus on which direction to take.
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 2
Discovery Recap
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 3
Process
To start off, we talked with the Mayor and City staff to get their perspectives on:
• Themes
• Styles
• Formats
• What we learned from the previous creative
Follow are the high-level findings…
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 4
Key Points
• Togetherness is a central theme.
• Colors need to come down a notch—still vibrant, but not aggressive. • Text clarity was a concern last time.
• Beverly Hills symbols are helpful—so the designs feel unique to BH.
As always, in these initial stages we explored all kinds of styles. © Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 5
Review Tips
• Think about overall style & vibe.
• Specific objects—and other details—can easily change. © Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 6
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 7
Recommended Concept:
TOGETHERNESS
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 8
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 9
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 10
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 11
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 12
Square
Treatments
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 13
Horizontal
Treatments
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 14
Horizontal
Treatments
(“We Sparkle”)
Thank you.
Let’s discuss.
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 22
Attachment 2
CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS
POLICY AND MANAGEMENT
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council Liaison/Rodeo Drive /Special Events /Holiday Program Committee
FROM: Magdalena Davis, Community Services Manager
DATE: August 12, 2024
SUBJECT: Review and Selection of Citywide Holiday Streetpole Banner Designs ATTACHMENT: 1. Holiday Streetpole Banners New Concepts Deck
2. Previous Banner Designs, 2017-2019 Holiday Streetpole Banners
3. Previous Banner Designs, 2021-2023 Holiday Streetpole Banners
INTRODUCTION
This report provides the City Council Liaison /Rodeo Drive/Special Events Holiday Program Committee of Mayor Friedman and Councilmember Wells with new design options for the selection of citywide holiday streetpole banner designs.
DISCUSSION
Each year the City sponsors a signature holiday décor program, both Citywide and specific to Rodeo Drive, designed to celebrate the season and attract visitors from around the region to shop, dine and stay in Beverly Hills. For the 2024 holiday season, the Rodeo Drive Holiday Décor, and the 2024 Citywide holiday décor elements were reviewed and approved by the City Council on June 27, 2024. Furthermore, the holiday lighting celebration, to occur on Rodeo Drive on Thursday, November 14, 2024, was recommended by Liaisons and approved by the City Council as well to take place on that date, with the Liaisons reviewing the specific event elements and Rodeo Drive banners separately. This report provides the City Council Liaisons with the new design options for the selection of citywide holiday streetpole banners (Attachment 1).
For the previous holiday seasons, different Citywide banner designs have been reviewed and recommended by Liaisons, with Council approval. For historical context, previous banner designs are included in this report (Attachments 2 and 3). As part of the 2017 holiday season, BOLD holiday banners were designed, and utilized during the 2017, 2018, and 2019 holiday seasons and installed citywide. During the 2020 holiday season, the #BHHealthyCity COVID-19 messaging banners were in place and the holiday banners were not installed that year. The banner campaign selected in 2021 featured an updated bright and cheery holiday banner design to inspire a return to a more normal holiday season, as pandemic recovery continued.
The traditional “lifespan” of the banner designs has been three years since approximately 2014.
With their being hung at the start of November to pre-promote the holiday lighting, and staying up for anywhere from 9-10 weeks until January’s décor removal, after three years there is significant wear and tear, including color fading, on the streetpole banners. Additionally, after three years, previous Council decisions have noted a branding refresh as necessary after that period of time, rather than refabricating the same banner designs, to keep the look current and the Beverly Hills branding at the forefront of holiday designs throughout the region.
It should also be noted that streetpole holiday banners on Rodeo Drive have been designed and fabricated separately, in order to more closely match the unique décor themes the Rodeo Drive Committee requests of Council each year. Those are not included in this review, and will be presented separately with their Holiday Lighting Celebration proposal.
Installation of all décor for this holiday season is scheduled for debut on Thursday, November 14, 2024. Traditionally it takes about a week-plus to install holiday banners, as they are Citywide instead of just in the business triangle, and many are lit to maximize the message during the longer evening hours of the winter. The removal of the holiday season banners and décor will begin as early as Monday, January 6, 2024.
.
In 2021, staff reached out to multiple different design firms to obtain quotes for creation of new holiday streetpole banner designs. The City selected, after detailed review, the firm Symblaze with experience in branding and marketing, and significant work for other local governments to design the banners that have been hung the last 3 years. Symblaze is a full service digital agency based in West Hollywood with years of experience with design, branding and rebranding. The company has worked with several cities in the region, including projects for the City of West Hollywood and the City of Palm Springs as well as for private clients such as Google, Vodafone and Sinclair Broadcast Group.
The contract with Symblaze and the City is current, and staff worked with them on a detailed process which included a “discovery” phase for the redesign, as well as refinement of the selected proposed designs during 2 review rounds. The Mayor did participate in the discovery phase to give feedback on holidays and branding in Beverly Hills, however this Liaison report will be the first Council-level review of the designs staff has worked on with Symblaze.
Symblaze has provided three design concepts for review by the City Council Liaisons, dubbed:
A. Ribbons
B. Luminesce
C. Togetherness
Liaison review and selection of the banner design to move forward for formal Council approval is requested. Please note that the selection is for overall style, as specific objects and other details may change. Liaison recommendation is also requested to continue to use these designs for three years. Staff has used, and will continue to use banner designs, and their various fonts/elements, as a creative suite, for other promotional and marketing material for the holiday season over the next three years, including advertisements, elevator clings, wrapping the trolley, wayfinding signage, and more.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no request for additional funding based on the design concepts provided in this report for citywide holiday streetpole banners. Funds have already been allocated across the FY 2023/24 and FY 2024/25 Policy and Management budget for the design (FY23/24) and fabrication (FY24/25) of the holiday street pole banners with the costs for installation and removal of the holiday streetpole banners in 2024 coming from the CIP (No. 00635) for Citywide Decorative Lighting and Holiday Decorations. Approximately 435 holiday banners will be fabricated and hung.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council Liaisons provide direction and feedback regarding a preferred holiday streetpole banner design concept, or any requested specific updates, such as objects or text, to the preferred design. Once selected, the preferred concept will be presented to the full City Council for review and approval at an upcoming Council Meeting. The Liaisons may also provide a recommendation regarding if the preferred holiday design concept is recommend to be utilized, as in years past, for three holiday seasons (2024-2026, or for different duration, such as a single year (2024 only).
Attachment 1
Beverly Hills
Holiday Street-Pole Banners
Liaison Presentation
31 July 2024 symblaze.com
Purpose
To present an array of choices for the City’s holiday creative.
And to determine which concepts will be presented to Council. © Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 2
Discovery Recap
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 3
Process
To start off, we talked with the Mayor and City staff to get their perspectives on:
• Themes
• Styles
• Formats
• What we learned from the previous creative
Follow are the high-level findings…
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 4
Key Points
• Togetherness is a central theme.
• Colors need to come down a notch—still vibrant, but not aggressive. • Text clarity was a concern last time.
• Beverly Hills symbols are helpful—so the designs feel unique to BH.
As always, in these initial stages we explored all kinds of styles. © Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 5
Review Tips
• Think about overall style & vibe.
• Specific objects—and other details—can easily change. © Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 6
Concept A:
Ribbons
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 7
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 8
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 9
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 10
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 11
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 12
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 13
Concept B:
Luminescense
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 14
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 15
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 16
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 17
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 18
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 19
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 20
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 21
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 22
Concept C:
Togetherness
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 23
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 24
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 25
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 26
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 27
All Concepts
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 28
A: RIBBONS B: LUMINESCENCE
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 29
C: TOGETHERNESS
Thank you.
Let’s discuss.
© Copyright Symblaze, Inc. 2024 www.symblaze.com 30
Attachment 3