Welcome
to the City of Wheat Ridge’s
new marketing logo.
As part of a larger community reinvestment strategy by the
City of Wheat Ridge, City Council approved the development
of a marketing logo for use in moving the City forward in
implementing the goals and objectives of the Neighborhood
Revitalization Strategy (NRS) and Wheat Ridge 2020.
While this is just the first step, a marketing logo can capture the
magic of Wheat Ridge by weaving together the many unique
things about the City and telling a story about how special it is
to live, work and play here.
This new marketing logo will be used on way-finding signs,
letterhead, City vehicles, park signs and other pieces.
The new logo is not intended to replace the existing City
Emblem, which will continue to find use in official City matters.
Why Create a Visual Brand?
“Economic development has transcended the purview of public
policy and has become a paramount market challenge for places.
Numerous communities, cities, states, nations and regions
around the world have grasped the urgent need to develop and
promote some sort of competitive advantage. Toward this goal,
places are increasingly adopting strategic marketing and brand
management concepts as tools to succeed in the new economy.”
- David Gretner, Associate Professor of Marketing, Pace University, NY
Why Create a Visual Brand?
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Communicate the City’s vision and direction
Distinguish the City from surrounding communities
Visualize the City’s unique qualities
Create a sense of place
Easy identification
Complement the existing City seal
The Process
To find what makes Wheat Ridge special, beginning in June,
more than 40 one-on-one interviews were conducted with
stakeholders, including City staff, community leaders, business
owners, City Council and other elected officials. Through these
interviews, five themes were identified that, woven together, tell
the story of Wheat Ridge.
Themes
Sense of Place. Sense of Community.
Sense of Pride.
Wheat Ridge is a community with history. It’s a place where
citizens work on and take pride in their surroundings and clearly
feel connected to one another on multiple levels.
• Neighborly feel
• Know the value of hard work
• Safe and family-oriented
• Broad generational diversity
Themes
Space to Play.
While surrounding communities struggle to ensure new
developments include features friendly to outdoor enthusiasts
and those seeking a fun, healthy lifestyle, Wheat Ridge already
has them built-in.
• Beautiful open space
• Formal recreational amenities
• Safe and easy access to healthy activities
• Something for every age
Themes
Ripe for Investment.
Wheat Ridge has stayed true to its sense of community and
loyalty to the small local business.
• Willing to support destination retail
• Abundant opportunities for new businesses to invest
in Wheat Ridge
Themes
Welcoming. Inclusive. Full of Energy.
Wheat Ridge is a charming community where families –
young and old – can live, work and play. All residents can be
themselves and thrive.
• Vibrant corridors
• Quiet neighborhoods
Colors
With consensus on these themes, the design team explored
graphic elements and colors, and made these recommendations:
Pantone 151
Gold/Orange
Gold represents optimism,
wisdom, quality and also the
bountiful harvest. For Wheat
Ridge, gold evokes the sense
of place and community, as
well as the energy of life.
Pantone 376
Green
Pantone 349
Green is nature’s color, symbolizing growth, harmony, freshness
and fertility. For Wheat Ridge,
green evokes the sense of recreational space and energy. It also
reflects the feeling of a welcoming
community, one that is connected
both geographically and in spirit.
Pantone 301
Blue
The color of the sky and water,
blue represents stability, loyalty,
integrity and tranquility. For
Wheat Ridge, blue symbolizes
the community’s loyalty to businesses and each other, and the
relatively tranquil pace of life.
Based on research conducted by the design team, lessons
learned from conversations with members of the community and
consensus reached on guiding themes, the City chose this logo:
We feel this logo accurately depicts the Key Findings detailed
previously. Please take a moment to consider each element alone
and how these elements come together to form the overall design:
The sun icon represents Wheat Ridge’s rich history and the bright promise of its shared future.
We feel this logo accurately depicts the Key Findings detailed
previously. Please take a moment to consider each element alone
and how these elements come together to form the overall design:
The light green element represents Wheat Ridge’s agricultural past and is the element most
often recognized as a young stalk of wheat.
We feel this logo accurately depicts the Key Findings detailed
previously. Please take a moment to consider each element alone
and how these elements come together to form the overall design:
The dark green element represents the mature foliage in the community – the high, healthy
treetop canopies found lining residential streets and within City parks.
We feel this logo accurately depicts the Key Findings detailed
previously. Please take a moment to consider each element alone
and how these elements come together to form the overall design:
The blue element represents one of Wheat Ridge’s most prominent features –
the Clear Creek Trail.
Consensus
• 70 percent of the public agree or strongly agree that the
proposed marketing logo will represent the City of Wheat Ridge
in a positive light
• In September, City Council approved the new logo 8-0 with
support from Mayor DiTullio
Testimonials
“Wheat Ridge is a unique and fun community; I think this image
will stand out among other metro area city logos”
- Britta Fisher, resident and director of Wheat Ridge 2020
“I love it! It says ‘Hello’ to the bright new day shining in the City
while paying tribute to the promise of its wonderful location and its
rich agricultural history.”
- Kathy Franklin, tax auditor
“I think the new logo is good for Wheat Ridge because it is new
and vibrant, which reflects the positive image of our community.”
- Regina R. Holmes, Agent, State Farm Insurance
Moving Forward
Implementation of the new marketing logo will be implemented in
phases as resources and budget allow.
Implementation
Three Phase Approach
Kick-off Phase
• $15,000
Phase Two: 2009
• Budget TBD in Budget Process
Phase One: 2008
• $100,000
Phase Three: 2010
• Budget TBD in Budget Process
Implementation
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Development of stationary
Development of taglines
- “Deep Roots. Short Commutes.”
- “Great Spaces. Friendly Faces.”
- “Urban Convenience. Hometown Charm.”
How Do We Know Our Brand is
Working for Us?
Performance Measurement
Qualitative and Quantitative Survey tools, i.e. Citizen Survey and
Focus Groups
• Percentage of citizens rating quality of life in Wheat Ridge
• Increased use of new City Web site to be developed in 2008
• Increased use of Channel 8
• Increased readership and input from the quarterly
Connections newsletter
• Increased positive news stories, media coverage of
Wheat Ridge events and services