HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-20-2013 b3 city style guide & brand standards id manual
FROM: Michael Codron, Assistant City Manager
Prepared By: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager
SUBJECT: CITY STYLE GUIDE AND IDENTIFICATION STANDARDS MANUAL
RECOMMENDATION
1. Approve the use of the City Emblem and Wordmark in various print, electronic, and other
applications as recommended; and
2. Direct staff to implement the use of the standardized City Emblem and Wordmark as
outlined in the City’s Style Guide and Identification Standards Manual upon completion.
DISCUSSION
Background
During the development of the City’s Directional Wayfinding Program that included an updated
City emblem, an image audit of City emblems and styles was conducted. The consultant noted that
the City’s branding materials were not consistent City-wide and recommended that the City take
steps to maintain brand integrity starting with a sign audit and the introduction of the updated City
emblem and a comprehensive Style Guide.
The Promotional Coordinating Committee (PCC) recommended using up to $40,000 of the 2012-13
Community Promotions budget for the development of the Style Guide and subsequently approved
a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) for the effort. On October 16, 2012, City Council authorized
staff to release a RFP for the commissioning of a City Style Guide.
Two firms submitted proposals for the consideration of the City. Based on the deliberations of the
PCC and the particulars of the City’s use of the Style Guide, in January 2013 Rademaker Design
was contracted for the Style Guide project.
The Style Guide will standardize the use of the City Emblem and Wordmark 1 for preservation and
representation of the City’s overall brand image to the public. The Style Guide will address the
integration of the emblem on printed and electronic materials and other applications. The complete
working list of the Style Guide specifications is included as the draft table of contents (Attachment
1 – Style Guide Table of Contents).
The PCC has been part of this process from the beginning and received regular updates as the guide
evolved. It is scheduled to review the proposed Style Guide at its regularly scheduled August
meeting. Minutes from the meeting will be provided as a Council correspondence to the agenda
item.
1 A wordmark, word mark or logotype is usually a distinct text-only typographic treatment of the name of a company, institution, or product name
used for purposes of identification and branding. This term refers to the typographic element: ‘City of San Luis Obispo’.
Meeting Date
Item Number 8/20/13
B3 - 1
City Style Guide and Brand Standards Page 2
Phased Project Approach
A multi-phase approach was used to achieve the results for the Style Guide recommendations. The
program phases includes: 1) data collection, 2) design exploration, 3) design refinement, 4) design
presentation, and 5) final production of the Style Guide. The project team includes key personnel
from Rademaker Design, a project manager from the City, Molly Cano, and project oversight from
City Department Heads and the City Manager.
The program launched with a presentation to the Department Head team outlining the need for the
Style Guide and resulting in the assignment of city-wide department liaisons to serve as the key
communicators for the Style Guide project to the department he/she represented. Beginning last
March through May, Rademaker Design and City staff met with each department liaison and
collected the information needed to analyze the current City branded materials and interview
additional key City staff.
Based on the information gathered during the data collection phase, the project team developed
schematic level concepts for an integrated system of branded items and graphic elements. The
schematic designs included: sizes, colors, font details, logo placement, typographic concepts like
department name lock ups 2, graphic elements, and material designs like letterhead and business
cards. This information was presented to the Department Head team for feedback in mid-June.
During this meeting, the Department Head team reviewed and endorsed the official titles for each
department for the integration into the department specific logo lock ups on business cards and
letterhead. Overall the schematic designs were well received by the Department Head team with
minimal requests for revisions (Attachment 2).
Next Steps
The final phase of the project includes the presentation of the design and the final production of the
Style Guide. Upon the approval of the use of the City emblem, Radamaker Design will finalize the
Style Guide document for implementation by City staff. The implementation of the Style Guide will
be a phased approach. Departments will utilize their current stock of printed materials allowing for
the items featuring the new City Emblem to be ordered as the materials are needed.
Concurrently, the project team has begun working with City departments on the additional design
and integration of the City Emblem into other forms of City representation. An example of this is
the design work in coordination with the Public Safety departments of Police and Fire on patch and
public safety vehicle designs. Rademaker Design will continue to support the efforts and contract
for ad hoc projects as they relate to the City Emblem integration at the request of the City.
The City currently does not have any formal brand or mark protection. As the City moves forward
with its Style Guide implantation, staff will also be recommending that the City consider cost
effective avenues by which to define and protect legal uses of its marks and brands.
2 A lock up is a formalized relationship of the Emblem (symbol) and a typographic pairing. They are elements locked in their relative positions. For
the sake of maintaining consistency in all mediums, the approved lock-up should not be taken apart or altered.
B3 - 2
City Style Guide and Brand Standards Page 3
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of the contract for the Style Guide has been paid for through the 2012-13 Community
Promotions budget overseen by the Promotional Coordinating Committee and no additional fiscal
impacts are anticipated.
The implementation costs will occur as needed when supplies are replenished through existing and
future budget allocations. Through this process only incremental costs are anticipated that will be
absorbed through the department budgets.
ALTERNATIVE
Council could provide staff with alternate direction for implementation of the City’s Style Guide
and Identification Standards Manual.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Style Guide Table of Contents
2. Powerpoint Deck
t:\council agenda reports\2013\2013-08-20\city style guide & brand standards (codron-cano)\council agenda report.docx
B3 - 3
1.0
Overview
1.1 Letter from the City Manager
1.2 Introduction
1.3 Glossary of terms
1.4 Further assistance
2.0
Brand Elements
2.1 Emblem variations
2.2 Emblem usage & size
2.3 Emblem pairings
2.4 Wordmark
2.5 Wordmark pairings
2.6 Brand colors
2.7 Approved fonts
3.0
Brand Applications
3.1 City stationery
3.2 Memos & staff reports
3.3 Applications, permits & forms
3.4 Facility signage
3.5 Vehicles
3.6 Publication planning
3.7 Print purchasing procedures
3.8 Photography guidelines
3.9 Uniforms
3.10 Name Tags
4.0
Electronic Media
4.1 E-letterhead
4.2 E-mail signatures
4.3 E-newsletters and reports
4.4 Power Point presentation
4.5 Web design guidelines
Contents
Attachment 1
B3 - 4
Style Guide & Identification Project
Council Presentation, August 20, 2013
Attachment 2
B3 - 5
Official City Emblem Attachment 2
B3 - 6
City Wordmark Attachment 2
B3 - 7
Emblem & Wordmark Lockup Attachment 2
B3 - 8
Fonts Attachment 2
B3 - 9
Department Lockups Attachment 2
B3 - 10
Business Cards Attachment 2
B3 - 11
Department & Council Letterheads Attachment 2
B3 - 12
Envelopes Attachment 2
B3 - 13
Note Card Attachment 2
B3 - 14
Agenda Report & Memorandums Attachment 2
B3 - 15
Permits, Applications and Notices Attachment 2
B3 - 16
E-mail Signature Attachment 2
B3 - 17
Name Tags Attachment 2
B3 - 18
Vehicles Attachment 2
B3 - 19
Attachment 2
B3 - 20
Attachment 2
B3 - 21
Attachment 2
B3 - 22
Attachment 2
B3 - 23
Attachment 2
B3 - 24
Attachment 2
B3 - 25
Attachment 2
B3 - 26
Questions?
Council Presentation, August 20, 2013
Attachment 2
B3 - 27
Page intentionally left
blank.
B3 - 28
"". council memona
August 16, 2013
TO: City Council
FROM: Katie Lichtig, City Manager
VIA: Michael Codron, Assistant Ci y Lager
BY: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager
RE I V I'--'
AUG 1$ 2013
K
AGENDA
CORRESPONDENCE
Data pr-, 13 Item# � 3
SUBJECT: City Style Guide & Identification Standards Manual, B3
As referenced in the Council Agenda Report for item B3 - City Style Guide and Identification
Standards Manual, attached are the meeting minutes from regular scheduled monthly meeting of
the Promotional Coordinating Committee (PCC) on August 14, 2013. As reflected. in the
minutes, the PCC recommends that City Council approve the use of the City Emblem and
Wordmark in various applications and to direct staff to implement the use as outlined in the Style
Guide upon completion.
Promotional Coordinating Committee
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
5:30 pm at City Hall
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Jill LeMieux
PRESENT: Fidler, Cox, Franciskovich, Palazzo, Rizzo
STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager
Chair LeMieux called the meeting to order at 5:31 pm
PUBLIC COMMENT
DRAFT
Ermina Karim of the SLO Chamber of Commerce addressed the committee on the recent
announcement of the pending departure of Lindsey Miller. Miller has been an employee of
the Chamber for 11 years and served a pivotal role for the organization and their
relationship to the membership, community, and the City of SLO. The Chamber will be
taking this time to define the role for the position and will be in touch soon for input. It is
the priority of the Chamber to ensure the contract specifications are met. Miller's last day
will be September 4th.
Council Member Carlyn Christianson introduced herself to the committee. She will new
serve as a council liaison to the PCC.
CONSENT AGENDA
ACTION: Moved by Cox /Rizzo to approve the consent agenda items C1, C2, C6, C7 as
presented.
Motion carried 6:0
ACTION: Moved by Cox f Fidler to approve the consent agenda items C3, C4, C5 as
presented.
Motion carried 5:0:1
Recuse: LeMieux
Promotional Coordinating Committee Minutes
Page 2
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. CITY STYLE GUIDE & BRAND STANDARDS MANUAL
Staff provided the background that the City Style Guide & Brand Standards Manual project was
initially identified as a result of the image audit for the Wayfinding Sign program. The City
Council approved the City Wayfinding Program that included an updated City emblem, however
based on the outcome of the image audit the contractor identified that branding materials were
inconsistent and recommended that the City take steps to maintain brand integrity with the
introduction of the updated City emblem. During FY 2012 -13, the PCC decided to pursue this
project for the overall City brand and ultimately dedicated $40,000 to the effort. In October
2012, the City Council authorized the release of the RFP for the commissioning of a City Style
Guide. Through the consideration of the PCC and the review of City Staff, Pierre Rademaker
Design was contracted for the project. Staff then explained the process by which the project was
launched, first with the City's Department Head team, then through individual one -on -one fact
finding meetings with every individual department, and ultimately the creation of the schematic
presentation for review by the PCC and subsequently City Council.
Next, staff reviewed the Style Guide presentation with the PCC. Throughout the presentation the
PCC commissioners provided input and edits for the presentation in preparation for the City
Council's consideration. Staff noted those comments and edit for the review of the contractor.
Staff also noted that the project implementation would be a phased approached as to not impact
the departments' budget but instead when supplies are to be replenished the new branded
elements would be ordered. Commissioner Fidler commented over the consideration and the
use of the symbol of the Mission within the emblem and voiced concern that the image might be
off - putting to some people. Staff clarified that the emblem presented was an updated version of
the City's historic emblem and has already been adopted by City Council as a part of the
Wayfinding Sign program. Staff noted that the intention of the image of the Mission on the
emblem was to pay tribute to the heritage and founding of the City. The Commissioners asked
additional questions pertaining to the ordering process and streamlining of City -wide printing
needs. Staff responded stating that concurrently Finance is consolidating the printing needs of
each department for the consideration of an RFP for printing services. The Commissioners
commented that they were pleased with the outcome of the Style Guide schematic presentation
and praised the work of the Pierre Rademaker Design and City Staff.
ACTION: Moved by Rizzo f Cox to recommend that City Council approve the use of the
City Emblem and Wordmark in various applications and to direct staff to implement the
use as outlined in the Style Guide upon completion.
Motion carried 5:0:1
Abstention: Fidler
2. EVENTS PROMOTION
The subcommittee members reported on the joint- subcommittee meeting and discussed the
event results and funding requests for the SLO Marathon, Remnants of the Past, and Roll Out the
Barrels. Event Organizers for the SLO Marathon were present and called on to answer
additional questions about the event. The committee reviewed the un- allocated events
promotion budget for consideration of funding for the events. The committee also revised the
sustainability model for events sponsorship for consideration. Chair LeMieux encouraged the
Promotional Coordinating Committee Minutes
Page 3
other subcommittee commissioners to be active in the subcommittee meetings in order to form
the subcommittee recommendations.
ACTION: Moved by Cox /Rizzo to sponsor the SLO Marathon in 2014 at the $15,000
level.
Motion carried 6:0
ACTION: Moved by Cox/Rizzo to sponsor Remnants of the Past at the $5,000 level for
the November show.
Motion carried 6:0
Based on budget availability, the committee may consider the sponsorship request for
the June show later in the year and with additional information on the show from the
event organizer.
ACTION: Moved by Rizzo f Cox to sponsor Roll Out The Barrels 2014 at the $4,000
level.
Motion carried 6:0
COMMITTEE COMMUNICATION
GIA Report: Commissioner Fidler presented on her recent meeting with the Opera
regarding the committee's direction for the marketing dollars awarded to them for the
grant. Staff encouraged each of the commissioners to contact the organizations they are
assigned to as liaisons to reach out and offer support and assistance.
Molly Cano presented the Tourism Program Update. Cano noted that due to the resignation
of Joel Koper on the TBID Board, there will be a new events sub - committee liaison from the
TBID. That liaison will be Matthew Wilkins of the Sands Inn & Suites. Cano also highlighted
the Horizon Travel Magazine advertising package commissioned by the TBID. The package
included: full -page advertorial in Horizon Travel Magazine September issue and insert in
the Wall Street Journal, banner ad placement for September - November, and the
placement of the SLO commercial in Times Square on the ABC News billboard. Cano also
updated the PCC on the SAVOR planning. She informed the committee that due to event
logistics and registration the pancake breakfast would change to a voucher for
participating area restaurants and Vons would offer a recovery tent for the runners post -
race. Cano also noted the planning for the Visit California media event on September 24 and
the PR Summit on September 25. Participation in the event will be covered by the TBID.
Lastly Cano noted the typographical error on the May 8 minutes. The minutes should have
reflected the committees funding for the Visitor Service contract for the Chamber at
$95,000.
Meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm