THE CITY OF COLUMBIA
Insight: The City of Columbia, SC is constantly transforming and is full of opportunities for citizens, young professionals, businesses, and visitors. But as every city does, Columbia was facing a few challenges, including competition from nearby competitor cities, a need to drive increased pride among constituents, and the inherent challenges that come with coordinating more than 30 different government departments. When Crawford partnered with City of Columbia in July of 2023 it was clear a cohesive brand strategy with a fresh visual identity could help the city address these challenges. After a deep-dive Discovery Session with City leaders, the following objectives would guide our collaboration:
- Consistency in branding and messaging is a top priority.
- Communications need to make everyone feel proud of Columbia.
- Columbia’s unique factors that make it stand out must be showcased.
Vision: We worked closely with many City stakeholders to develop a brand strategy that could be used to unify all constituents. The result was the brand direction Together, We Are Columbia. that is based on the principles of pride, community, welcoming, and opportunity. This brand direction is a powerful tool that will help the City of Columbia tell their story of being a dynamic city capable of leading South Carolina into the future.
A new visual identity was also needed to bring the brand direction to life, give Columbia a fresh and modern look, and drive consistency across all City departments. It was essential these elements would build pride throughout the city and convey the vibrant and diverse lifestyle Columbia offers.
Outcome: Through partnership with the Public Relations, Media & Marketing department, logo concepts were presented to the Mayor, City Council, and City Manager where the new visual identity was approved. The new visual identity showcases stylized aspects of Columbia, including elements inspired by the South Carolina State Flag, the letter C, and the three rivers that all flow through the city.
This new identity has been embraced by City stakeholders who are confident it will help advance Columbia, unite the community, and boldly represent Columbia for years to come. The roll out of the new visual identity began early 2024 and will continue until all relevant communications materials, signage, property, and merchandise have been updated.
