Feb. 9—WILLMAR
— The city of Willmar on Friday, Feb. 9 released its new branding initiative.
“We are thrilled to unveil this new brand for the city of Willmar,” said Mayor Doug Reese in a news release announcing the initiative. “We believe that this updated brand identity truly captures the essence of our city and will help to position us for continued growth and success in the years to come.”
The new brand features a modern logo with a bold, civic color scheme that symbolizes the city’s natural beauty and strong sense of community, according to the news release. The city’s new tagline is “Welcome to Willmar, Minnesota’s Crossroads!”
The initiative was
approved by the council on Feb. 5 in a split 5-2 vote.
Councilors Audrey Nelsen and Rick Fagerlie voted against the initiative; Councilor Mike O’Brien was absent from the meeting.
The materials were initially presented to the
Willmar City Council
members outside of the Feb. 5 meeting and not posted in the online meeting packet for that date on the city website.
The Minnesota Open Meeting Law requires that materials relevant to the meeting of a public body be available to the public. The West Central Tribune, citing that requirement, on Wednesday requested that the brand strategy and the information be provided to the public.
The city notified the Tribune on Friday that the materials had been added to the
Feb. 5 council packet
online, and a news release was issued Friday afternoon.
The branding initiative includes new logos for the Willmar Fire Department, Police Department, Parks and Recreation and Public Works.
The news release states the new branding initiative is aimed at highlighting the city’s unique qualities and enhancing its overall image after months of research and development.
The initiative seeks to create a cohesive brand identity that accurately represents the city’s vibrant community, rich history and promising future that the city hopes will help attract new residents, businesses and visitors to the area, as well as fostering a deeper sense of pride and unity among current community members.
Community members are invited to a brand launch at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the Willmar Auditorium. Jeff Johnson, founder of Replace, will speak at 10:15 a.m. about how he and his staff, Lucas Richards and Holly Husband, worked with the rebranding committee to design Willmar’s new branding strategy.
The city has $17,000 in the 2024 budget to work on the branding strategy. The
City Council in June of 2023 approved a $35,000 proposal
from
Replace
for rebranding services. The Minneapolis firm specializes in brand design.
At the council meeting on Monday, City Administrator Leslie Valiant explained how Replace worked with other community stakeholders in creating the city’s new brand, sending out a questionnaire with a pyramid exercise that assisted the company in finding the core of what is important to the community.
Replace used that information to design seven different renderings of the direction in which the rebranding could go and those were also shared with stakeholders for feedback, which whittled it down to three renderings. Those different renderings are included in the council packet.
The final style guide provided by Replace for the city’s rebranding is an 86-page document that includes the brand strategy pyramid and information regarding how to use the new logo, color palette, typography, graphic assets and photography. It also includes information on how to apply the brand to stationery and advertising, signage, apparel and digitally.
“This style guide is a tool to help direct and streamline the implementation of Willmar’s new branding,” the style guide explained. “Inside you’ll find assets, templates, guidelines and detailed specifications to help ensure a seamless rollout for your new brand. Following the guidelines within this document will ensure brand integrity for years to come.”
It also stated that the guide is a living document and can be modified as new needs appear.
The brand strategy pyramid provides a quick overview of how the city wants to position Willmar’s brand in the marketplace. The one-page document highlights the strengths, hopes and ideals of the community, according to the style guide.
The brand position is that Willmar is a dynamic regional center that fosters community collaboration to elevate education, industry and lifestyle. With robust agricultural roots, Willmar’s hidden gem offers scenic landscapes from lakes to parks.
“We’re a refuge of unity, nurturing family ties and limitless opportunities,” the brand positioning states. “From outstanding education and recreational offerings to proactive community engagement, we stand as a thriving hub where tradition and innovation harmoniously flourish. Welcome to Willmar, Minnesota’s Crossroads!”
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