Officials have selected a new brand for Galway City Council online, and across its buildings, vehicles, hoardings, bins and bollards in a roll-out expected to take years.
City Hall unveiled a new logo today, the first redesign in decades since its current ‘G’ - paired with the city’s sixteenth century coat of arms - was designed in 1984 for the city’s 500th anniversary, and refreshed in a 2007 rebranding.
Officials are expected to hang the commissioned logo prominently at their new, €36 million HQ at Crown Square, Mervue, ahead of their big move from College Road in the coming months.
The council said the design cost after a competitive procurement process was €28,000, but has issued no overall estimate on replacing letterheads, signage, digital identity and branding collateral for 630 staff, 80 vehicles, 130 bins, and several large buildings owned by the local authority.
Branded municipal buildings include Galway City Museum, Leisureland, Pálás, the Town Hall and Blackbox Theatres, alongside numerous depots, sports facilities and the new Halla na Cathrach by the Monivea Road.
The rebranding was awarded to marketing specialists Turas Branda, a company incorporated in February last year by Clive Connaughton, with support from the Roscommon Local Enterprise Office. It counts Donegal County Council as a client, according to its website.
The city’s new identity retains maroon as its principal colour and awards prominence to the local authority’s Irish-language name, Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe. The Coat of Arms of Galway City will also remain in use as part a new “brand family”.
This chosen design (pictured ) draws on Galway’s civic and maritime heritage. The lower-case ‘g’ reflects the form of a ship’s hull, represented in the city’s coat of arms, while its style draws on the tradition of seanchló, the historic, old Irish script.
The colour palette includes maroon, which was supported in feedback from staff and councillors, together with blue reflecting the River Corrib, according to a statement from City Hall. Workshops were held in July and August.
“This review found that the public does not always recognise the full range of services provided or supported by the Council, while different services, programmes and projects are not always presented in the same way,” said a spokesperson.
Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive of Galway City Council, said the initiative is about more than changing a logo.
“Galway City Council provides and supports a very wide range of services, from housing, roads and fire services, to planning, environmental protection, tourism and community supports.
“We need to make it easier for people to recognise the role of the council and the services we provide. The new identity is one part of that work, while also reflecting Galway’s civic heritage and the important place of the Irish language in the city,” he said, adding that enthusiastic feedback from staff and councillors has shaped the chosen design.
It is understood considerable historical research on the city’s coat of arms took place over the summer, and the current Mayor of Galway, Helen Ogbu, formally demanded its inclusion in future signage, as reported elsewhere in this week’s Advertiser.
Slow-mo roll-out
The council said this crest will remain on the official Seal of the City and on ceremonial chains of office worn by the mayor and deputy mayor.
Mr Cleary said a new identity would not result in wholesale replacement of existing Council materials, but offered no specific timeframe.
“The roll-out will be gradual. We will use the new identity when materials and assets are due to be renewed or replaced, rather than replacing items simply because the branding has changed,” he said.
“For example, new stationery will carry the new identity as part of the move to [our] new corporate headquarters at Crown Square. Digital materials and email signatures will be updated in the coming weeks, while physical assets, such as bin wraps and hoardings, will adopt the new identity when they are next renewed.”
Helen Kilroy, the council’s Director of Finance, said improved identity gives the council a common visual system across many areas, from housing and roads to planning, transport, economic development, tourism, culture and capital projects.
“The aim is that people will recognise the Council more easily, regardless of the service, project or communication they are dealing with,” she said.
Richie McCarthy, City Hall’s new communications and marketing boss, said the new identity draws directly on Galway’s civic heritage, the River Corrib and the city’s bilingual character.
“Importantly, the coat of arms remains part of the brand family, while the new system gives the Council greater flexibility across digital, print and physical communications,” he said.
The €28,000 project included a review and audit of existing identity, stakeholder engagement, development of a brand strategy, visual identity development, brand architecture, accessibility and bilingual considerations, templates, applications and compliance with visual identity guidelines.
