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Garner council reviews proposed town rebrand; designers present 'spark' concept
Summary
Town staff and local design firm Graphics House presented a proposed rebrand April 29 built from nearly 1,400 resident survey responses; council gave feedback and asked staff and designers to refine concepts for return in June–July, with a tentative launch in August.
Town of Garner officials reviewed proposed townwide rebranding concepts April 29, after town manager Jody Miller and designers Steve and Stacy Colas of Graphics House presented logo options and a proposed tagline centered on the word “spark.”
The presentation drew on public engagement, Miller said: “We had almost 1,400 responses to that survey, which I was just blown away by the level of interest.” The proposed identity includes a modular “G” icon, a deep‑blue primary color and an orange accent; one draft tagline summarized the concept as “Spark Greatness.”
Why it matters: council and staff said the effort aims to modernize the town’s visual identity, make department branding consistent with the planned Garner Fire Rescue merger, and give the town flexible graphics for uniforms, vehicles and signs. Miller told council the rebrand is intended to be “far more than just a logo.”
Designers Steve and Stacy Colas said they sought a balance between homage to Garner’s history and a look for future growth: “For this logo design, we would like to pay homage to our history while focusing on our future,” Stacy Colas said, explaining that the icon’s open space was meant to reflect Garner’s parks and green spaces. Steve Colas said the firm tested ideas at events and through one‑on‑one conversations with residents.
Council reaction was mixed. Mayor Pro Tem Vance praised the outreach and process, saying the work had been “comprehensive and intense,” and urged continued iteration. Councilmember Dellinger said the initial concepts “miss” on conveying parks and nature and emphasized council’s need for involvement earlier in the process. Councilmember Singleton was sharply critical: “I just really don't care for anything that's been presented,” he said, arguing the designs read as corporate rather than reflecting the “small town” features many respondents named.
Several councilmembers asked staff and the firm to continue refining the concepts, to broaden visible references to parks and the town’s character and to test different color palettes and taglines. Miller said staff and the employee work group will return refined concepts for further discussion in the June–July timeframe and that the town is targeting an August launch, aligned with the fire‑department rebranding work.
The designers and staff encouraged councilmembers to provide one‑on‑one feedback before the next presentation. Miller acknowledged there are “many conversations” ahead and repeated that tonight’s presentation was an early opportunity for input rather than a final decision.
Next steps: staff will take council feedback to the employee work group and Graphics House, produce revised concepts, and present refined options in the June–July period for additional feedback; a tentative public launch remains targeted for August.
