In Plainfield, NJ, the downtown organization has been reimagining its name, its image, and its mission. In a move aimed at making the group’s role more clear to the public, the Plainfield Special Improvement District renamed itself Downtown Plainfield.
And the organization decided not to stop there — Downtown Plainfield realized that its faded branding no longer captured the spirit of what Plainfield was becoming. Abel Gomez, executive director of Downtown Plainfield, tells Downtown Idea Exchange that the organization’s logo featured the harsh hues, and dated imagery of another era.
Downtown Plainfield partnered with a local design firm led by Andres Jimenez, to bring the new vision of downtown to life. Jimenez and downtown leaders strolled the streets of Downtown Plainfield multiple times. They soaked up the architecture, colors, energy, and cultural rhythm of the neighborhood.
After that research, Jimenez presented five conceptual logos, each offering a distinctive interpretation of the district’s identity. The Downtown Plainfield Board engaged in an in-depth review process, moving through several rounds of elimination and refinement. The final logo that emerged is dark blue and a soft gold.
New branding guidelines ensure that the messaging is consistent across digital media, signage, and printed materials.
More on image enhancement appears regularly in the pages of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.
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