Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.
I went back and reviewed the City Council meeting minutes of June 26, 2018 and the specific item entitled Authorization to enter into a professional services agreement with Catapult Strategic Design, LLC for logo and comprehensive graphics standards guide services presented by Brent Stoddard, Public Affairs Director. I have included the actual item here:June 26 2019 Workshop Catalpult
It was “a request for City Council to authorize the City Manager to enter into a professional services agreement with Catapult Strategic Design LLC for consulting services related to brand positioning, designing and testin new logo concepts, and the creation of a comprehensive graphic standards guide in an amount not to exceed $65,000 for a term of no more than one year.”
One item of note within that request was, “ It is estimated that the process to develop and adopt a new logo will take approximately 12 weeks including public outreach efforts to get feedback on potential logos.” Is there anyone out there reading this blog that was contacted to give input into any new logo? If so, shoot me an email at clarkjv@aol.com .
I am also posting the contract with Catapult as it is a public document. Here it is: 1456_Services Agreement Logo and Comprehensive Graphic Standards Guide Within it the scope of work is outlined as follows:
- Brand Positioning Development $3,400
- City of Glendale logo No charge/Pro Bono
- Research to test logo $2,000
- City of Glendale Graphic Standards Guide $57,950
- Photography/Additional Printing Production $1,650
Total Estimate: $65,000
Graphic standards were to be created for (not an all inclusive list):
- Stationary
- Forms
- Printed/Digital Materials
- Signs
- City Flag
- Vehicles
- Uniforms
- Public Works – everything from manhole covers to bridges and park benches
In other words, the company would provide variations of the logo to be used on anything and everything public in the City of Glendale. While Council approved this contract, I assumed that there would be public outreach in a recognized and public manner. This, apparently, did not occur. Rather a survey was sent out to ???
Having taken the survey twice with the first 5 submissions and the subsequent additional 5 submissions, I believe the survey was skewed. We were asked to rate each of the 5 submissions and the last question in the survey was to pick your first choice, second choice and so on. There was nothing that permitted the person surveyed to indicate that none of the choices were acceptable. It was almost as if you had to pick the logo that you considered the best of a bunch that you may have considered unacceptable. So, just like everyone else, I ended up ranking the 5 choices from the most palatable to the least palatable.
© Joyce Clark, 2019
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Who is the driving force behind this change? I was never contacted and never saw anything about a survey to take. The logo is hideous. Everyone’s comments are right on, looks like so many logos that have a “G” in it. What kind of company cant get thoughts from all council members and put together a logo that reflects everyone’s ideas? I was told by council member Malnar that there were just too many opinions.
Is that the cost for just creating the logo and variations for use on vehicles, stationary, etc. What is the projected cost to the City to change the logo on everything that now carries the current Glendale logo, or is it going to be phased in when new stationary is needed, new vehicles purchased, new uniforms needed, etc?
Connie, I cannot answer your question. At the present time until there is a workshop discussion I am assuming it will be phased in. We have not been told the cost of changing everything either quickly or phased in.
Connie’s inquiry is spot on. I’m guessing the bill to actually print new business cards for the myriad of employees/staff/council, plus new stationery, forms, pamphlets, signage, etc, etc, will be a hefty sum in addition to the monies already spent. Candidly, I feel like the $65,000 allocated to phase one of changing the City’s brand/image/logo, plus the big bucks it will take to change everything, could have been put to better use. How sad that no one asked the tough questions before approving the initial expenditure which opened up Pandora’s box for what may be an unwise expenditure.
Joyce, your follow-up blog to this morning’s earlier one regarding the Glendale’s new logo further depresses and angers me.
As John Krystek asked in his reply, “Who is the driving force behind this change?”
It sounds like the whole process in dealing with Catapult was underhanded and less than above board.
Not only that, it brings up more questions than answers. To be honest, I think the whole “new logo” project is FUBAR!
Shame on everyone and anyone who allowed the project to proceed without more transparency (and investigation), thus forcing the residents of Glendale to have their tax $$$ foolishly spent on this most unattractive “G”!
Is it any wonder that I am becoming more and more disgusted with the whole political process?
Joyce, I agree completely with your position on this. The logo design reminds me of the APS logo, not our beloved city. It does not appear to be innovative, but rather a poor blending of readily available clip art. Having been the owner of Glendale Printing for many, many years I am familiar with graphic design. This option misses the mark.
Why do we continue to spend money (rationale )? The letter G is used by the Grandal gang . Glendale is the only city in Az that I know of that has a gang in prison and in the community
Joyce:
It’s becoming evident to me that if this “G project” was given more time and serious thought Glendale would have something far more attractive and professional looking than what Catapult created. What was the rush?
Given the choice, I’m sure the residents of Glendale would not approve of the complete and utter waste of taxpayers $$$ on this “G”. But, sadly, we are not always given a voice in such matters. We rely on our elected officials to speak for us, and in this case it didn’t happen.
One thought keeps going through my mind: “$65,000 – and that’s all we got?! One lousy, ugly “G”?!”
I’m also concerned that if the “G” becomes associated in some way with the Grandel Gang, it will become a cause for embarrassment and humiliation to the City of Glendale. Not exactly the “new image” the city is attempting to project.
Perhaps it’s time for the Glendale City Council, the City Manager, and everyone else involved in this decision, to cut their losses and go back to the drawing board before any more money is spent on replacing everything from business cards to uniforms; and without a doubt, more $$$ than the initial $65k will have to be spent!
I hope it’s not too late, Joyce. As Vice-Mayor, I hope you and the rest of the Glendale City Council can do something to prevent this “G” from happening!
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I never have to see this new logo anywhere in my city.
The spent 65K on a logo project?
Is the city trying to out-waste the previous administration?
who the hell allowed this to happen?
I apologize, Joyce, for making yet another comment about the “G project”, but I just read the June 26, 2018 City Council meeting minutes, and one sentence at the top of page 2 stands out like a sore thumb!
it reads:
“…The logo and color scheme are critical elements of the website design and will be needed during the initial phase of development….”
I am completely baffled as to what the colors RED, ORANGE, and GREY have to do with the City of Glendale. How does that logo’s color scheme say anything except that Catapult Design didn’t put very much thought into the “critical elements”.
I can only hope that you and Councilwoman Tolmachoff are successful in your attempts to “reset” this project before it goes any further.
I didn’t say it before, Joyce, but “Thank you” for bringing this issue to light. I look forward to hearing more about it in future blogs.