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Town rolls out community‑driven brand, expands communications team and launches external newsletter
Summary
Communications staff presented a community‑informed branding package adopted by the board, described social‑media performance and newsletter engagement, and proposed a creative‑services specialist to support ongoing implementation.
Kathy, the town’s communications lead, told the board that a new town branding package — developed from community workshops, surveys and stakeholder panels — was adopted at the prior meeting and that staff will begin phased implementation in 2025. "Our brand story reflects that Huntersville is a place where people can connect, thrive and build a life," she said.
Staff emphasized that the adopted branding is more than a logo change: it includes a narrative ("thrive"), three brand pillars (connections, quality of life and future), and a set of visual elements that will be rolled out over several years. The town will not replace the primary H logo immediately, citing both its community recognition and the fiscal cost of a wholesale overnight swap of signs, vehicles and stationery; instead, staff proposed a staged implementation plan and year‑over‑year budget approach.
Communications staff reported social media metrics: roughly 13,600 Facebook followers, +1,341 year‑over‑year; about 44,100 Instagram followers, +835 year‑over‑year; and the town’s X (Twitter) account retained about 8,100 followers. Staff explained a data‑driven shift in platform use: Twitter/X will be used primarily for emergency and critical operational notices, while Facebook and Instagram will carry broader town news and engagement content. The communications team also launched an external town newsletter in April 2024; the newsletter has under 500 subscribers and very high engagement for a government mailing (unique open rates 73–88%, well above the 22–28% industry standard).
Kathy told the board the department has added a communications specialist (Pam Escobar) to create more direct department support — each town department now has a designated communications staff contact — and proposed hiring a creative‑services specialist to produce photography, video and graphic design in‑house to accelerate brand implementation. Staff cited vendor estimates that a one‑time, all‑hands brand rollout (replace water tower, vehicle wraps, signage and all collateral at once) can range widely ($30,000 to $100,000+ depending on scope); the communications team recommended spreading implementation over multiple years.
Ending: Staff said they will bring more detailed implementation cost estimates in upcoming budget work sessions and asked the board for initial feedback on a staged rollout and the proposed creative‑services hire.
