Branding the City of Orlando

Branding a city is not for the faint of heart. Lucky for me, I had managers and directors that gave me autonomy and support every step of the way.

In 2016 I was allowed to give assistance and leadership on this branding project that was just starting to take on a solid form. The research and case studies had been collected by an ambitious team that was ready to brand for the first time ever, the City of Orlando.

We strategized on how to get stakeholder buy-in and went to work doing our face to face rounds with visuals and FAQ's ready to show. We formulated a five-year rollout plan that wouldn't put a burden on department budgets but would allow us to track our progress and gain traction on what seemed like an almost impossible undertaking.

As of August 2019, we are 3.5 years into the five-year rollout and are ahead of schedule. I set up systems with all departments to help educate and remind them that when new supplies were purchased or replaced, they needed to update with the new brand. This ranged from an identity sticker to car.

Two principal offices that were pivotal in the success was the city's sign shop and fleet teams. Forming a strong relationship with them from the start was vital. We have created almost 1000 signs to date with the new branding. The fleet that the city currently utilizes is at 100% complete with branding standards. Some cars with the old branding can still be seen, but there's a reason for that. It was decided to maintain our fiscal responsibility, if the cars were going to be taken off the road in less than 3 years, they were to be left alone.

We have moved on the wayfinding and building identification phase of the branding. This is where I orchestrate the vendors, department heads, and procurement to keep on track of our budget and time goals.

It's been a work in progress, and change isn't easy for anyone. I'm proud of the many teams and departments that worked together to create this kind of change after "always doing it that way" since the very beginning.