The commercial printer, which was appointed a preferred print and design supplier to the council around 2018, approached the council with some rebranding ideas when it was first announced it was to be conferred city status late last year. The council then commissioned Formara to start work on the £4,000 design rebrand in December.
The firm’s four-strong design team then began working up concepts, getting on for 40 in total, in consultation with a panel of council stakeholders.
“We worked up lots of ideas and went backwards and forwards at various council meetings and these four concepts were the final four that were put forward,” said marketing and IT manager Andy Pond, who led the project with senior designer Greg Edwards.
“I’m born and bred in Southend, all of us in the studio live and work here, so this project is something that is close to all of our hearts.”
Once the final concept is chosen, the Formara team will then finesse the design to ensure it works across multiple platforms and take on feedback from the council’s various focus groups.
The new ident will initially be rolled out across items like stationery and digital signage, but ultimately across its entire portfolio of print collateral.
Pond added that while the business will produce much of the rebranded print work, he stressed that rather than binning existing items, the council will rebrand and replace items as the stocks run down or items need replacing or upgrading.
Southend was gifted city status following the death of Sir David Amess, Conservative MP for Southend West, who was stabbed to death during a constituency surgery last October.
Amess was a Southend MP for almost 25 years and had campaigned for the town to be made a city through much of his tenure.
The seaside town received the “letters patent” from Prince Charles, on behalf of the Queen, on 1 March and the town council simultaneously agreed to change its name to Southend-on-Sea City Council.
“The exciting change to a city includes a name change for the council and an opportunity to look forward as a strong, ambitious and cohesive city with new branding,” said councillor Ian Gilbert, leader of the council.
“Four ideas have been carefully developed and we want to gather people’s views.”
The four branding options are being discussed in a council meeting today (14 March) and if approved the council will launch a “public engagement exercise” on yoursay.southend.gov.uk for two weeks from 25 March.
