Changing a logo can seem like a small thing, but it has wide-reaching effects, especially when it represents a large entity. Even cities have to worry about branding, like Everett, Washington, which recently held a contest for residents to vote on the logo they would use in a variety of media. According to the city, this image was important because it would appear on uniforms, vehicles, stationery and signs.
Now the votes have been calculated and the winning design has been selected. Created by Seattle resident and artist Sean Hamilton, the new logo features bold lettering and dark blue and black colors, as well as a triangle image made up of several stripes. It's not unlike a corporate logo, which makes sense, since Hamilton has experience working with major brands like Microsoft.
In a press release from the city, Everett's Communications Director Meghan Pembroke described the voting process and the number of selections that had to be combed through.
"We received more than 850 submissions from students, retirees, artists just launching their careers and professional designers with years of experience," she said. "It was wonderful to see such a high level of participation from our community and from all over the world."
Hamilton will receive $5,000 as a reward. His logo will be implemented in electronic formats immediately and will make its official debut on physical objects this coming March, though it could appear on vehicles and signs before then, the release noted.
Organizations of all kinds should feel confident that their designs will get a strong reception, and they will when they use a combination of tactics, from fleet wraps to store signs. Because of the far-ranging repercussions, these decisions shouldn't be taken lightly.