Though many people are familiar with JB Systems’ ability to create responsive, custom websites, few people know that our graphic design team also creates some powerful brands and identities for our clients. What’s exciting about designing a new brand is that, much like with a new website, we get to help our clients get a more consistent, professional identity for their business. Branding (or re-branding) is a chance for clients to show their client base how they’re evolving. It’s incredibly rewarding for JB Systems to be part of that process.
Branding takes many forms, such as a new logo design, changing the colors of an existing logo, updating a slogan, and more. At JB Systems, we recently had the opportunity to help the Eau Claire Police Department re-brand themselves by creating a new logo.
On Tuesday, August 18th, some of our team members were in attendance at Phoenix Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin as Police Chief Gerald Staniszewski unveiled the logo on two new police vehicles, along with another vehicle that will serve as the community relations car.
An Eau Claire police officer stands with a new squad car with the new logo on it.
Given the unpopular view of law enforcement the past year, we knew our team had to be very sensitive and strategic in our design. Our graphic designers needed to make sure to give the ECPD a logo that conveyed both an authoritative AND approachable feel, while also delivering the award-winning level of work JB Systems is known for.
“The main challenge they presented us with was they wanted a logo that would be more recognizable by the community and be relatable,” says Meghan Bauer, Art Director at JB Systems. “Especially with all the negativity surrounding law enforcement right now, they wanted something that would make people feel at ease with the department and not think of them as completely aggressive and authoritative. They want to be seen as people you can be comfortable to approach any time with any need.”
The elements of the logo are seen here, with the water in the background representing Eau Claire, the eagle, and the six stars representing the Eau Claire Police Departments core values.
From there, Meghan and Jenna, two of JB Systems’ graphic design artists, went to work, using this project to challenge themselves as designers and learning to apply creative design to solve such a complex public issue. There were many different elements the ECPD wanted to incorporate in their brand, such as “Old Abe” the eagle, to represent strength and authority. They also wanted water represented in the logo to symbolize “Eau Claire,” our city of clear water. Having the word “police” in a strong font presents an authoritative image, while having “Eau Claire,” in a softer font, gives the vehicle an approachable feature.
While we wanted to give the ECPD brand a fresh look, we also wanted the logo to maintain some of the original logo elements, in order to keep their identity visible and familiar to the community. Our design team accomplished this by including six stars, which can be seen along the sides of the badge. The stars represent the Eau Claire Police Department’s six values of Honesty / Integrity, Dignity / Respect, Commitment, Service / Caring, Professionalism, and Lawful Behavior.
The new branding will be featured on ECPD’s police cars, letterhead, mailing labels, envelopes, and business cards. We even took photos of ECPD staff of various departments, which were used on the community relations car to make it personable and approachable.
Community Relations car.
“The Eau Claire Police Department was a pleasure to work with,” says Meghan. “All in all, it was a lot of fun to work on their logo, and I’d say we’re very proud with how it turned out!”
Are you looking to update your brand and set your company or organization apart from the rest? Give JB Systems a call, and we’ll get started on designing a brand that will give your company the competitive edge you need. Not only will be back your site, but we’ll also back your brand!