Administrative
Report
N.1., File # 24-0208 Meeting Date: 2/13/2024
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ELIZABETH HAUSE, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER
TITLE
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING APPROVAL OF A REDESIGNED CITY LOGO
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As part of the Strategic Plan, the City Council requested staff identify the resources and process needed to facilitate a City rebranding effort. In October 2022, the Council was presented with options to begin the effort and directed staff to pursue a streamlined redesign of the City’s logo with the assistance of a design firm. On February 14, 2023, the City Council approved a contract with Stellen Design LLC (Stellen) for logo design services.
Since that time, a City Manager’s Logo Redesign Committee (Committee), comprised of Redondo Beach residents, was formed and has met regularly to consider iconography, design, and brand impressions. Additionally, a series of community surveys and stakeholder interviews have been conducted. The redesigned logo was first presented to the City Council for consideration on October 17, 2023, where staff was directed to prepare cost estimates for citywide brand implementation, conduct a series of additional educational outreach sessions at future Council Member district meetings, and return at a later date with logo color alternatives.
This report outlines the redesign process and the community feedback provided since the October meeting, and presents the Committee’s preferred logo design and alternative color palette options. It is recommended the City Council either 1) approve the redesigned logo and color palette, 2) continue the redesign process and provide direction on next steps, or 3) terminate the effort and continue to utilize the existing logo and/or City seal.
BACKGROUND
The Strategic Plan includes an objective to “present City logo redesign options to City Council for consideration of approval.” On February 14, 2023 the Council approved a contract with Stellen for design services. The contract required that Stellen take direction from a committee comprised of Redondo Beach residents that would, through a series of workshops and meetings, redesign or refresh the City’s current logo. The Scope of Work also included conducting stakeholder interviews and incorporating community survey feedback into the logo development process.
Upon contract approval, staff queried the community to identify individuals interested in being part of the Committee. By mid-March 2023, five community members representing various backgrounds, expertise, and Council Districts within Redondo Beach committed themselves to partaking in the
N.1., File # 24-0208 Meeting Date: 2/13/2024
months-long logo redesign process.
Logo Redesign Process
In order to create a foundation to build the new logo, the redesign process began with two, 1.5-hour Strategy Workshops with the Committee led by Stellen. These workshops provided the Committee an opportunity to define Redondo Beach, identify what the culture is and is not, articulate how Redondo Beach stands out amongst other beach cities, and identify characteristics that represent the people who live, work, and play in the City. The second of these workshops was informed by community feedback collected with Survey #1, which aimed to capture participants’ perception of Redondo life and culture, as well as gather input on what type of logo the participants connected with most. The Scope of Work also included conducting stakeholder interviews and incorporating community survey feedback into the logo development process. The four stakeholder interviews were conducted with Redondo residents from varying personal and professional backgrounds:
· Resident #1: Married, 2 children under 3 years of age, transplants, 15-year residents, software development company executive
· Resident #2: Married, one child on the way, born and raised Redondo resident, event planner · Resident #3: Married, 2 adult children, transplants, 30-year residents, attorney · Resident #4: Single, born and raised Redondo resident, entrepreneur Similar to the spirit of the Committee workshops and Survey #1, these interviews were framed to capture who the Redondo Beach resident is and how they perceive themselves, the City, and their place within the City.
Using Committee and community insights collected in the strategy and research phase, Stellen began work on logo concepts sketching-out icons and symbols for the logo redesign. Over the course of two months, three logo refinement meetings were held. During these meetings, Committee members guided Stellen’s logo development progression by providing feedback, sentiments, and suggestions on the design as it evolved.
At the end of this logo development and refinement phase, the Committee had three favored options for logo icon, font, and layout. Survey #2 was then launched to capture the community’s preference in each of these areas. The results showed a strong winner in each of these categories. Stellen took the preferred icon, font, and layout and began the final phase of refinement and color palette development.
In late August, the Committee came together for the fourth logo refinement meeting to provide feedback on the redesigned logo and, on August 30th, Survey #3 was launched. The survey asked questions regarding participants’ impressions of the logo redesign on its own, how it compares to the current logo, and if the redesign is relevant to Redondo Beach today and in the future. Regrettably, the initial survey launch was compromised, resulting in a mass of duplicate responses (over 5000 in a short time period). In an effort to accurately capture community feedback, the survey was closed and relaunched on September 5th with an additional participant verification requirement that would eliminate the threat of automated, online tampering. All survey results are included with this report, and the list below details the logo redesign process schedule. · April 19, 2023 - Strategy Workshop #1
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· May 2, 2023 - Survey #1, “Who is Redondo Beach?” 210 Responses · May 22, 2023 - Strategy Workshop #2
· June 9, 2023 - Logo Refinement Meeting #1
· July 6, 2023 - Logo Refinement Meeting #2
· July 20, 2023 - Logo Refinement Meeting #3
· August 1, 2023 - Survey #2, “Preferences for Icons,” Fonts and Marks. 422 Responses · August 24, 2023 - Logo Refinement Meeting #4
· August 30, 2023 - Survey #3, “Proposed Redesign Impressions” (closed September 5th, results compromised, 5,004 responses)
· September 5, 2023 - Survey #3 Relaunch, “Proposed Redesign Impressions,” 305 Responses The proposed design for the updated City logo, color palette options, alternative logo characterization, and common uses for logo placement are included as attachments to this report, along with slides from the strategy workshops. These items provide insight into how the initial phases of the logo redesign effort progressed. The logo was initially presented for Council consideration at the October 17, 2023 meeting, where staff was directed to return to Council with alternative color palette options after conducting a series of additional educational outreach sessions at Council Member district meetings. Additional feedback collection efforts were also made at Council’s request, including an employee survey and a voting station at a Redondo Union High School event. Preliminary cost estimates for logo implementation were also requested and prepared by staff (see attached).
Staff is seeking Council direction on how to move forward with the logo redesign. There are three options available to Council: 1) to approve the new logo and direct Stellen to finalize the Design Guide, 2) direct staff to continue redesign efforts and amend Stellen’s contract to accommodate additional work, or 3) discontinue the redesign effort and continue utilizing the City’s current logo and/or City seal.
COORDINATION
The logo redesign process was led by the City Manager’s Logo Redesign Committee with additional community input considered in the development of the redesigned logo, as proposed. The City Manager’s Office coordinated the development of this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
Specific funds for the logo redesign project were not appropriated in the FY 2022-23 Budget, however, the cost of the contract was covered through the City Manager’s Contracts & Professional Services account.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
· City Council Administrative Report, February 14, 2023 · City Council Administrative Report, October 17, 2023
· City Manager’s Logo Redesign Committee Member Bios
N.1., File # 24-0208 Meeting Date: 2/13/2024
· Community Survey #1, Survey #2, and Survey #3 Results · Redesigned Logo Review Package
· Logo Redesign Color Options
· Employee Logo Survey Responses and High School Outreach Results · Presentation - Redondo Beach Brand Strategy Session 1, April 19, 2023, and Session 2, May 22, 2023
· Logo Implementation Cost Estimates