To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ELIZABETH HAUSE, INTERIM COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
TITLE
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DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING SELECTION OF A COLOR PALETTE FOR THE NEW CITY LOGO AND NEXT STEPS FOR LOGO IMPLEMENTATION
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As part of the Strategic Plan, the City Council initiated a rebranding effort and approved a contract with Stellen Design, LLC (Stellen) for logo design services on February 14, 2023. Stellen collaborated with the City Manager’s Logo Redesign Committee and presented a refreshed logo to the City Council on October 17, 2023. After community meetings and outreach, the Council decided on February 13, 2024, to hold a six-week logo redesign competition. The Council received 199 submissions from 76 participants and selected Stellen's updated design as the new City logo on May 7, 2024. The Council directed staff to return with an item to finalize the color palette for the logo and explore legal protections against unauthorized use of the new logo.
Two color options are attached to the report for City Council consideration. The first option reflects the color scheme that received general support during the logo approval discussion in May. Once the color scheme is approved, Stellen will provide official design guidelines, and the logo will be implemented across all digital media. The item also allows the Council to discuss and give direction on the roll out of the logo for other uses, such as City street signs and vehicles.
BACKGROUND
The City Council requested a rebranding effort as part of the Strategic Plan and approved staff to identify the resources and process needed to facilitate the effort. On February 14, 2023, the City Council approved a contract with Stellen for logo design services. Over the course of several months, Stellen met with the Logo Redesign Committee, comprised of Redondo Beach residents, and developed a refreshed logo design for the City Council’s consideration.
The redesigned logo was initially presented to the City Council on October 17, 2023. After a series of community meetings and continued outreach, the Council discussed the redesigned logo again on February 13, 2024. Following that discussion, the Council directed staff to launch a logo redesign competition for a period of six weeks, open to all artists and interested individuals, and to provide the competition entries to the Council for review no later than April 2024. The Council also decided to individually select and present their preferred design option as part of a follow up discussion to occur on May 7, 2024.
Overall, the City received 199 logo redesign submissions. A total of 76 applicants participated in the competition, with several offering more than one design option. The designs were delivered to City Council as part of a report on April 16, 2024. On May 7, 2024, the City Council selected the updated design by Stellen as the new City logo. Council requested staff return with a color palette for one of the gradient options shared by Stellen design, and that the City Attorney’s office research ways to protect the City form unauthorized use of the new logo. Attached to this report are two gradient and associated palette options. Option 1 is the color gradient identified as the preferred gradient at the May 7 City Council meeting. Option 2 offers a slight variation on the gradient color palette.
Staff is seeking Council direction on which color gradient and palette to serve as the official colors for the new logo. Once selected, Stellen will provide the City with a design guideline and staff will begin a comprehensive implementation of the logo across all digital media and platforms, with a gradual rollout to other uses.
As a parallel to the logo discussion, questions have been raised in the community about City street signs and what design style has (or should become) the City’s standard. Once the logo design was approved in May, staff began exploring options for street sign designs. Attached to this report is an initial design for City Council consideration. A decision on street signs does not have to be made at this time. However, at some point, a standard street sign design should be selected and implemented as funding permits.
COORDINATION
The logo redesign process was coordinated by the Logo Redesign Committee and included a series of community outreach efforts. The Public Works Department coordinates design of the City’s street signs. The City Manager’s Office coordinated the preparation of this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
The costs of the design contract with Stellen and the competition platform fee were funded through the City Manager’s Office annual operating budget. No funds were included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget for logo implementation.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Logo Gradient and Palette Option 1
• Logo Gradient and Palette Option 2
• City Street Sign - Initial Redesign Option