Submitted By
Dan Yopchick, Chief Communications Officer
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Presentation and Discussion of a Brand Refresh Project for the Village of Oak Park
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Overview
Overview
This project is in alignment with one of the Board’s priorities under the established goal of Vibrant, Diverse, Connected Neighorhoods. Specifically, the priority is to create opportunities for neighborhood and community engagement. Board direction calls for the implementation of a brand story that clearly articulates the Village’s vision, mission and core values. Further, this brand refresh will modernize the brand standards and style guide in order to better unify the image, tone and messaging delivered by the Village.
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Anticipated Actions/Commitments
Recommendation
The Board will be provided periodic updates as it relates to the implementation of the refreshed branding materials. Staff will work diligently to make any necessary changes as quickly and effectively as possible, while acknowledging that this type of shift cannot happen overnight. The Board may be asked to provide future direction on the priority of future modifications and alterations.
Report
The Village Manager and staff identified the need to thoroughly examine the Village of Oak Park’s (VOP) brand. As described on the VOP website today, “Created and first used in the mid 1970s, the current version is an update to the the original logo and was introduced in the late 1990s. The update to the logo included a new type style for the words Oak Park and was meant to provide a distinctive forward-looking appearance built on traditional foundation. The color green was chosen as the signature color because Oak Park is a community named for a place filled with trees…” The “current” graphic standards manual was originally published in 2000.
Within the Village Manager’s authority, VOP staff collaborated with a local firm, Famous Victory (FV), that specializes in brand development along with strategy and consulting to work on this project. FV is based in Oak Park with its office located in Downtown Oak Park on Lake Street. The firm was able to bring an intimate understanding of the needs of the project as it is based directly in the community.
The team began working together in October 2023. Phase 1 of the project was intake. Members of the VOP communications staff, in consult with the Village Manager’s Office, worked closely with FV to understand the Village’s history and current goals. A single objective standard was identified to align the team and maintain focus.
Phase 2 consisted of primary research. This process included 12 in-person or video conference interviews conducted by FV with persons suggested by staff, including elected officials, VOP staff and other community stakeholders. Each ranged from 30 to 60 minutes and VOP staff did not participate in these sessions.
The research process also included an email survey that was completed by 50 people in the Oak Park area. The survey consisted of 11 questions, blending multiple-choice, ranking and open-ended text responses. The survey took an average of about five (5) minutes to complete and respondents included staff, residents, and representatives of other government agencies.
Phase 3 involved reseach synthesis. FV reviewed responses to discern current brand perception and deliver updated brand recommendations. VOP staff were presented with three (3) approaches to consider, each with its own set of advantagess and disadvantages.
Approach 1 (Preserve and Build) meant that the existing logo would remain while filling in missing parts of the brand. On one hand, there would be no need to change the logo placement on Village materials, however, VOP would miss out on an opportunity to update with a fresh, visual look for constituents to rally around.
Approach 2 (Modernize and Expand) called for the existing logo to be updated while exploring new use cases and arrangements. By preserving some of the existing logo, the brand would honor to the past while also being updated to represent the current state. The new look will need to be applied to all materials, but as the look will be similar, this transition can happen incrementally. This, the middle option, is ultimately the approach that staff chose to pursue with FV for this project.
Approach 3 (Fresh New Start) would mean a completely new brand (logo icon and type, brand materials, etc.). While a progressive, forward-thinking and modern approach, there would be a loss of nostalgia within the community.
Phase 4 was brand development. The FV team explored the given approach and developed and reviewed concepts with VOP team. There were multiple rounds of concept refinement along with the evaluation of all options. Deliverables in this phase included a VOP vision, ways to translate the Village’s guiding values into brand values, possible taglines (“Generations in the making”), brand outlook (Strong Foundation & Forward Looking), brand character (Buttoned Up, Optimistic, Professional, Fluid, Respectful, Grounded, Direct), brand voice, evolution of the logo, color palette, typography, and look and feel samples.
The final phase, Phase 5, included the development of updated brand files and a digital style guide featuring logo lockups, specified fonts and colors, descriptor lines, and core messaging.
The team is coordinating and scoping next steps for brand rollout and wider implementation. One of the first and most visible ways the refresh will be deployed is through the launch of a redesigned Village website. This action was authorized by the Board in 2022 and the final product is expected to be unveiled and in place later in 2024.
DEI Impact
This brand refresh project elevates diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Village of Oak Park in several ways. The brand refresh will ensure visual elements such as logos, colors and imagery reflect the diversity of this community. In practice, this involves featuring people and places of different backgrounds, cultures, and identities in materials that represent the inclusive nature of Oak Park.
Additionally, the language used in refreshed materials will be welcoming to all residents and guests, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or ability. Messages should foster a sense of belonging for everyone in the community.
Finally, as part of the brand rollout, staff will provide training and resources to all stakeholders involved in implementing the refresh to promote awareness and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles.
Alternatives
The Board may choose to keep the current branding in place, only filling gaps where necessary. The Board may also choose to re-engage in the process to reach a different desired outcome in terms of the overall look and feel of a refreshed brand.