During Tuesday’s special Committee of the Whole meeting, Karen Bonhomme and Trevor Trewartha of 1dea Media + Design presented town council with three new concepts for Perth’s rebranding. The three concepts are Heritage + Heart, Town of Perth, and Bridging Time.

A survey was conducted by 1dea Media, gathering responses from 597 community members. Ten percent of respondents disagreed with the notion of rebranding altogether, while 90% were in favour. 1dea Media aggregated the feedback and used this to inform their design goals. Bonhomme commented that the number of respondents and the warmth of their feedback shows that Perth is a town that is truly beloved by its residents.

The first concept Heritage + Heart contains alliterative branding slogans such as Walkable + Welcoming, Treasures + Traditions, Vitality + Vibrance.  The second concept Town of Perth is quite a modern restyling of Perth’s current logo in shades of blue and white. Bridging Time includes an image of the clock tower and a bridge, and carries echoes of the way Perth is rooted in history and thriving into the future. Councillor Bird noted that the third concept is done in an art deco style.

Deputy Mayor McPherson inquired as to why the current brand is being replaced. Bonhomme explained that from a design perspective the current brand is not particularly flexible. It contains many details and doesn’t show up well when placed over another image or when used in a video, such as a tourism promo.

Tuesday’s presentation was a step on the road to choosing a final image.The presentation will be made to the BIA, Chamber of Commerce, and other committees. These groups will offer their feedback to council, who will be responsible for making the final decision.

To view the presentation and the three concepts, visit the Town of Perth’s Facebook page and watch the saved livestream from June 1.

Article by Janelle Labelle