City of Federal Way equipment and stationery could still get a new look if the Federal Way City Council moves forward with a “re-branding” project.
The Federal Way City Council discussed moving forward with the city’s re-branding concept at Tuesday’s regular meeting but made no further decision since the effort was initiated last year.
The city has set aside $100,000 for the project, and Rusty George Creative has spent $40,000 on the creation of two city logo options, an online survey and interviews with community members Norma Blanchard, Tammy Campbell, Julie Hiller, Tim Johnson, Trise Moore, Anthony Murrietta, Jack Stanford, Antoine Tinsley, Theresa Yvonne and Rebecca Martin.
The consulting firm’s creative principal, Rusty George, said his team identified the city’s strengths and weaknesses from the data and compiled it into an “awesome problem” to address in the city’s branding going forward.
The city’s strengths are great roads, a variety of retail shops and eateries, engaged leadership taking initiative and ownership in the future, schools under new leadership and “the most diverse city in the state.” Weaknesses were “nasty” traffic, a stigma that the city is unsafe and substandard, a disconnect between the communities, skepticism with the Performing Arts and Event Center’s process, a lack of a downtown core and spread-out amenities.
“The city of Federal Way’s fragmentation and disconnection prevents it from inspiring business and community investment,” George said of the city’s “awesome problem.”
George suggested the “brand driver” would be, “The city of Federal Way is unifying its communities, businesses and civics towards one common purpose …”
After the logo presentation, council members gave their feedback, and Mayor Jim Ferrell instructed George to create a third design option that incorporated the current logo into it so that it could potentially offset secondary costs.
In addition, all three logos will be presented to the public at a later time along with explanation on why each element was chosen. That date has yet to be determined.
