Branding the City of Austin (Archived Nov 2021)
Branding the City of Austin (Archived Nov 2021)
This page contains information about a previous project that was hosted on a different website. While we won't be accepting new comments or feedback at this time, we believe it's important to keep this information accessible for historical purposes. Stay tuned for updates as we roll out our new branding. We’re excited about the changes to come!
Branding Overview
The City of Austin asked for community-wide input to create a consistent and clear City of Austin brand.
- ✨ Branding is more than a logo — it is a verbal, visual, and emotional expression of an organization.
- 🤝 It is how we build trust, strengthen recognition, and encourage community members to become involved.
- 🏛️ When you see things that are important to you in your City government, you see the City creating solutions for all residents.
Why Branding Matters to the Community
🤝 Trust and involvement: When you see your priorities reflected in City government, you see the City working for all residents.
🏷️ Service recognition: Unsure of which local services the City offers? That’s branding.
📏 Clarity and consistency: Would you know information was from the City by its logo alone? That’s branding.
🌟 Experience: Did your last interaction with the City feel designed with your needs in mind? That’s branding.
How the City Builds a Brand
The City engaged the community through a process called Community Visioning. Feedback was used to:
📈 Improve engagement, awareness, and pride among residents, businesses, and visitors
🎨 Define and expand a brand that represents who the City is and who we aspire to be
Alignment with Strategic Direction
On March 8, 2018, the Austin City Council adopted a strategic direction guiding the City for up to five years. One of the six priority outcomes, Government That Works for All, emphasizes:
🏆 Recognition
🤝 Trust
📏 Consistency
These principles shaped the City’s effort to improve communications and build a stronger, more unified brand.
How the Community Was Involved
The community was invited to share values and priorities through:
💻 Online input at their own pace (no group conversation required)
🗣️ Community information and visioning activities
🔖 Bookmarking the project page to follow outcomes and next steps
Questions or More Information
📧 Email: brand.team@austintexas.gov
Project Timeline
This timeline shows the major milestones of the City of Austin’s branding initiative.
⚠️ Please note: This project page is archived and provided for historical reference only.
It is not collecting new feedback, but remains available so the community can see how the process unfolded.
Frequently Asked Questions
The first step is asking for community feedback to understand what Austin residents currently feel about the City. At the same time, City employees will share their opinions on the same topic. All information will be shared in a summary that helps City leaders understand what community and employees’ value for the City.
This allows us to understand what you currently think about the City and what you would hope for your City to be. Using the information gathered, we will create tools and plans to create and share a brand that reflects the City’s goals and aspirations.
A consistent brand won't solve all our problems. But, the delivery of a consistent brand can build trust, encourage community involvement, and tell a consistent and fair story of the City of Austin and its residents.
A logo alone is a graphic with an organization name. It is one piece of a brand used visually to communicate. A brand is tangible and intangible—it’s how the City acts, speaks, interacts, and feels and how the City makes you feel. It’s how the City expresses our core ideas to residents, businesses, and visitors both in-person and online.
Data is the primary way we understand how Austinites currently view the City and how they would like to hear from the City. It also helps us identify what you hope for as our city and our world continue to change.
A clear and recognizable City of Austin brand, gives Austinites, businesses, visitors and employees the ability to know, understand and trust the information and messages they see from all City services and programs.