Royal Oak's Getting New Logo, Slogan

City commissioners voted 6-1 in a special meeting on Monday to move forward with new branding for the city that includes a logo and tagline.

As part of its 2012-2013 goals and objectives, the Royal Oak City Commission hired Ideation Signs and Communications, to help roll-out a unified city marketing identity and strategy. This year’s budget included an allocation of $20,000 to complete the design task.

"A lot of thought went into the logo and tagline," said Jay Dunstan, a member of the branding committee. Dunstan said the committee poured through dozens of photographs and looked the results of the Royal Oak Citizens Survey conducted in the fall of 2012 — in which residents described the city as friendly, fun, safe, diverse and vibrant — to come up with a branding message that is "urban and authentic."

Dunstan described the city's current logo (shown above) as "way too busy and complex."

"No one uses the Old English font anymore, except for the Detroit Tigers," he said.

The new logo will appear on stationery  business cards, banners, city vehicles, gateway signs and other city materials.

Commissioner Jim Rasor was the lone nay. Rasor said he loved 95 percent of the new design but wanted more time for it "to cook."

Residents can expect the city to unveil the new logo sometime this summer.