Rockville Mayor & Council to review branding options for new city tagline and logo

Branding and marketing consultant Medium Giant will present two possible branding taglines, and two branding logos, to Rockville's Mayor and Council at their Monday, July 17, 2023 meeting. Medium Giant was awarded a contract last June to devise new branding to replace the City's existing "R" logo and "Get Into It" tagline. A year later, the firm has generated options centered around a diversity theme, and with visuals inspired by existing City iconography.

The diversity-themed tagline options are, "Everyone in All We Do," and "Forward Together." Option 1 requires a lot of thinking to figure out just what the heck it means. Option 2 sounds like a Plan B fished out of Hillary Clinton's campaign headquarters trash can. Who knew we might one day be nostalgic for "Get Into It?"

Logo options are stronger than the tagline choices, and Medium Giant deserves credit for drawing on symbols unique to Rockville. Option 1 is a twist on the existing "R" logo, but with a walking R that is supposed to suggest the City is moving forward and progressing. It also plants a cross bottony from the City flag into the top half of the letter R, although it flips the color from red to white. Option 2 is inspired by the "Spirit of Discovery" mural on the exterior of City Hall. It could be said that Option 1 is not something you would be confused or surprised to see on a piece of mail from the City in your mailbox.

The Mayor and Council could vote on the branding Monday night, postpone a final decision, or ask the contractor to revise or entirely redo either the tagline or logo (or both). Once a final tagline and logo are approved, Medium Giant will provide the City's Public Information Office with "the deliverables" to begin a citywide implementation of the new branding. The PIO will then instruct all City departments on use of the branding in communications and public outreach. According to the agenda report, this process would take about three months, and could require additional taxpayer funds.

Images courtesy City of Rockville