AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- The City of Austin is ready to launch its first-ever branding effort across all city departments.
City Manager T.C. Broadnax and other officials revealed the new logo and branding elements Thursday morning. It's the culmination of a years-long effort dating back to 2018, when City Council voted to make a unified brand a strategic priority.
“We want our community members to be able to identify members of our team as City of Austin employees and trust the services we provide,” Broadnax said. “Whether they see the brand on a website, a utility bill, a street sign, or the side of a vehicle, they’ll know exactly who it’s from and what it stands for.”
Broadnax said the effort will unify more than 300 logos depicting various City departments and programs. It is the first-ever branding effort for the city, which has typically used the city seal - which was created in 1916 by a San Francisco illustrator for a flag design contest.
According to a city release, the new branding will be implemented gradually to minimize budget impacts. The new brand will be reflected first on digital assets including social media, websites, and digital signage, beginning on October 1; other items including uniforms, facility signage, vehicles, and other assets will transition based on department schedules to update or replace such items at the end of their service life.
Staffers say the entire project is expected to cost the city about $1.1 million.
“We are taking a fiscally responsible approach to transition to a new brand,” city communications director Jessica King said. “We do not expect departments to run out and buy everything with the new brand.”
One thing the city emphasizes will not change will be uniforms of the city's first responders, including the Austin Police Department, Austin Fire Department, and Austin-Travis County EMS. "It is important for Austinites to trust and recognize their public safety responders," the city said in a release.