Blossoming or Serenity? Rolling Meadows residents pick from two logos to rebrand city’s image

Blossoming Together or Serenity’s Perch?

Rolling Meadows residents are being asked which of two finalists for a new city logo they prefer as part of a rebranding effort launched by city officials.

That outreach, which includes an online survey on the city website, is also expected to take place along the Fourth of July parade route starting at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. City Manager Rob Sabo said officials will hand out flyers with the two logo options and a link to the website to make a pick.

Representatives of Selbert Perkins Design, the branding consultant retained by the city council late last year, already surveyed residents in a different online survey and two community events on May 11. That was when an initial set four logos was proposed.

And though the consultant said the response was good — 267 entries online and 101 in person — some aldermen expressed the need to solicit more opinions, especially from seniors who might not be on social media.

“Given that this is going to be a long-term investment for the community financially and marketing … it would be smart of us to start creating some pamphlets that the survey is available,” Alderperson Jenifer Vinezeano said during a recent council review of the proposed brand concepts. “I think 200 is great, but of a population of 24,000, I would much rather have more feedback.”

The choices were narrowed to two after the first round of community engagement: Serenity’s Perch — a bird seated atop green meadow grass — was the top pick online; Blossoming Together — resembling a four-pedal flower — was the favorite in person.

The bird logo represents the current perception of Rolling Meadows, said John Lutz, a partner in the Chicago office of Selbert Perkins Design. It’s driven by nature and representative of the various street names in town named after birds, he noted.

But some who responded to the first survey said the logo might be too simple, and doesn’t say everything about Rolling Meadows, which is about more than just nature, Lutz said.

The flower logo looks toward the future, Lutz believes. He said it represents the community’s diversity; for example, the color palette includes purple for Rolling Meadows High School and green for Fremd High School — the two schools attended by students in town. Two of the flower’s pedals spell out “R” and “M.”

“I think it’s clever,” Lutz said. “(It’s) like an ‘Ah ha’ moment.”

But he admitted some survey respondents said it’s too complex, too busy, and has too much going on.

After results from the community survey are in, Lutz’s firm will make final artistic tweaks before presenting a recommendation to the council — likely in September. Once a logo is chosen, the consultant will also develop a tagline.