Ugh! New Brand Guide (RANT)

[Signstein]

At least this came at the very end of the week...

Our organization (marketing department) just released the new brand style guide and none of the new colors for our "brand" are even approved for use by our city! Geez, it's like no one thought to see if we have any requirements from, ya' know, the city we live in. Plus, we're in a historic district, so our sign guidelines are tailored more narrowly than most. It feels sometimes like marketing exists in their own bubble and forgets that there are also people working in the real world.
I just sent a WTF email to marketing asking what they want me to do: honor the brand and be non-compliant, or comply with the city and deviate from our brand. Ugh...

 

[Boudica]

your city dictates what colors you use to brand your business?

 

[Gettin'By]

If he's like a City in-house plant, yeah they probably would.

 

[Signstein]

your city dictates what colors you use to brand your business?

Not exactly - the city dictates what colors are allowed in the various districts. Marketing just neglected to consult the city codes before choosing the new colors.
A business could choose any colors they want for their brand - they just may not be allowed to use it for signage.
And Gettin'By is also mostly correct, I'm an internal shop for a historic, colonial, museum-type non-profit that's conjoined with the city.

 

[Gino]

Certain areas/districts of our city do have certain color requirements and all kindsa other rules everyone must follow. Stoopidest thing ever. Been like that for about 60 years now.

 

[Boudica]

I've never heard of such a thing. that's nuts.

 

[BlueRoseAuto]

Is there a logical reason for having color requirements? i cant think of a reason to tell someone they cant use a color for branding? what am i missing here?

 

[Gino]

It's easy. They want the historical areas looking the way THEY feel it should look. However, it's also to prevent ugly sh!t going up in very nice neighborhoods. I've been dealing with this nonsense since the early 70s.

 

[BlueRoseAuto]

Yikes.

 

[unclebun]

If this non-profit museum is only in this city, I think it's simple. You kick it back to whomever is in the art department and tell them their new brand guidelines cannot be used in the city because you cannot get a permit for a sign with these colors, and provide them a list of the city-approved colors and tell them that they may only choose from these colors.

 

[Signstein]

provide them a list of the city-approved colors and tell them that they may only choose from these colors

Did exactly this and it sounds like they’re amending the new color choices. Thank goodness. I think this was just more focused on digital that they forgot about the real world, practical (signage) applications?
All the rules and regs here are mainly for preservation reasons. Most of the buildings here are historic landmarks or reconstructed historic houses.
But yes, also to keep things from looking like garbage!

 

[Solventinkjet]

I grew up in New England and a lot of towns have historical districts, usually main street, where even the color of your house has to be a from a certain approved set. The town I went to school in wouldn't let McDonalds put in a location because of the yellow arches.

 

[CanuckSigns]

 

[Bobby H]

I thought it was illegal for city governments to force color schemes on company branding. There was a law suit in the 1990's involving Blockbuster Video and another video store chain versus the city of Tempe, AZ. The city was trying to force Blockbuster to change the familiar blue and yellow color scheme of its signs to something else. Blockbuster sued the city for trademark infringement and won.

 

[Boudica]

I thought it was illegal for city governments to force color schemes on company branding. There was a law suit in the 1990's involving Blockbuster Video and another video store chain versus the city of Tempe, AZ. The city was trying to force Blockbuster to change the familiar blue and yellow color scheme of its signs to something else. Blockbuster sued the city for trademark infringement and won.

Bobby, read the middle paragraph of post #4

 

[Johnny Best]

My city color is black alnd brown with a little white mixed in.

 

[John Miller]

In my town there is a Downtown Historical Board. At a review of a sign we were proposing they shot us down and told us to redesign and appear next month because the sign covered too much of the store front. I downloaded a picture of the downtown center at the turn of the century with about every sq. ft. or storefronts covered with signs. I printed it poster size along with our unchanged proposal and presented it. Some of the board members actually laughed. Our proposal passed by a small margin and I was in the crosshairs of the Review Board's head till he retired.

 

[netsol]

Not exactly - the city dictates what colors are allowed in the various districts. Marketing just neglected to consult the city codes before choosing the new colors.
A business could choose any colors they want for their brand - they just may not be allowed to use it for signage.
And Gettin'By is also mostly correct, I'm an internal shop for proea historic, colonial, museum-type non-profit that's conjoined with the city.

It gives me chest pains (much like having to beg the shade tree commission for spproval to cut down
YOUR TREE) but is getting more common in historic districts.

WHO ASKED THEM.?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

So what's the deal...the 20 something year old hot, hungover Marketing department chicks didn't know about specific sign regs? Sounds like you informed them and they got fixed, no need for panties getting in a bunch. Historic districts do that all the time..it's like an HOA but run by the city. If this is something y'all are getting worked up over must be real dull. Ask the marketing girls out for a drink, that will be more exciting and maybe you get their panties in a bunch

 

[Bobby H]

Bobby, read the middle paragraph of post #4

That doesn't let the city government off the hook. Forcing a company to change its logo colors on a sign would still violate that 1990's legal precedent. Many signs only depict the company's brand.