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San Leandro consultants report strong community response to city branding effort
Summary
City consultants reported nearly 500 roundtable responses and 262 survey responses so far and said residents repeatedly described San Leandro as a “hidden gem.” Council members pressed consultants on audiences, application across departments, art and outreach to regional stakeholders; consultants said a draft brand identity will be shared in the fall.
City officials and consultants on June 15 presented the first-phase findings of a citywide branding project and described broad community support for a message that emphasizes San Leandro’s diversity, shoreline amenities and neighborhood assets.
Economic Development Manager Katie Bowman introduced Resonance consultants Jake Bugansky and Elana Lipet, who said the team collected close to 500 roundtable responses and 262 online survey responses in the discovery phase. "We've heard loud and clear that San Leandro is a diverse community and that that needs to be emphasized in the new brand," Bugansky said.
The consultants described a three‑phase approach: discovery and situational analysis, brand identity development, and brand application. They said the discovery work surfaced recurring themes—walkability, parks and the shoreline, the Cherry Festival and a perception that San Leandro is a “hidden gem” that many outsiders do not know. The team altered its timeline to incorporate festival outreach and expects to present draft visual identities in the fall and finish the project by December.
Council members focused questions on intended audiences, how the brand will be implemented across departments and external programs, and how the city will measure and share the outreach results. "Who are the intended audiences, and how will this be used across the city’s materials and departments?" asked Council member Bowen. Consultants said audiences will be specified in phase two and promised an online dashboard and a full research report to document survey results and how input is incorporated.
Several council members urged the consultants to emphasize public art and visible improvements that shape outsiders’ impressions—examples included beautifying freeway underpasses and highlighting cultural history. "Art is important to how we define our space," Council member Simon said, noting that people driving through often see sound walls rather than civic assets.
Members of the public who took part in the outreach and online testimony urged that the branding not be driven solely by revenue. "People come to San Leandro because they want to see it," said online commenter Jenny Madson, urging the city to protect cultural programming and not reduce the exercise to revenue generation.
The consultants said the next steps include building personas, holding a virtual co‑creation workshop, developing visual concepts and returning to the council in the fall with draft identities. They also committed to public-facing materials: an online dashboard and a research report to be posted on the project site documenting participant responses and how those findings shaped the brand work.
Council members encouraged ongoing outreach to regional partners, philanthropic organizations and younger residents to ensure the brand resonates beyond current community networks. The presentation closed with staff noting continued outreach to youth-serving groups and plans to keep the survey open for additional responses.
The council did not take action on the branding item; the consultants will return with draft creative work in coming months.
