The Riverside Village Board, on July 7, will get its first look at the three finalists chosen as possible replacements for the familiar green tower that’s been the village logo since 1981.
On June 28, members of the Riverside Economic Development Commission chose the three logo finalists for the village board to consider.
The designs include one that prominently features the water tower and is most similar to the present logo; a circular logo that includes the water tower as a feature but more prominently references the village’s status as an arboretum, with a scattering of leaves and the tail of the R in “Riverside” serving as a tree branch; and a simpler logo with the word “Riverside” as its main feature, topped by a stylized leaf and an abstract reference to the river.
The logos were created by designers from Point B Communications, which the village hired late last year to complete the first phase of a marketing plan. Phase one, which cost the village $25,000, included the cost of creating a new logo, a “positioning statement,” and wayfinding signage for the downtown business district.
The three logos were chosen from a set of 15 that Point B presented to the Economic Development Commission. The firm was charged with designing logos in traditional and contemporary styles.
No action will be taken on picking a new logo on July 7. Depending on how the village trustees’ discussion goes, the board could choose a finalist at their meeting on July 21. The logo needs to be chosen before the village can move further on a redesign of the Riverside website and before Point B Communications can move forward with the wayfinding signage plan, since the logo, colors and other branding elements will be included in those efforts.
Phase two of the marketing effort, which will cost an additional $20,000 to $30,000, could be green-lighted by the village board later this year. The second phase would include the creation of a marketing strategy and implementation plan.
At the village board’s meeting on June 16, Economic Development Commission Chairwoman Elizabeth Peters summarized the marketing effort to date. Part of that rollout was the unveiling of the village’s new “positioning statement,” which was described as the Riverside’s “elevator pitch” to potential new residents and businesses.
The statement reads:
“As one of the nation’s first planned suburban communities, and one of only two villages in the state designated an arboretum, Riverside is truly the hidden gem of suburban Cook County. Its incomparable design, pastoral setting and unparalleled small-town ambiance offers its residents, business owners and visitors alike the chance to experience the kind of safe, neighborly, American small-town life that has all but disappeared in today’s modern world.”
Peters also unveiled a new three-minute marketing video for Riverside, produced by Nolan Collaborative, a Chicago-based media production company owned by Riverside resident Jeff Nolan.
The Economic Development Commission sought proposals from video production companies and ended up hiring Nolan Collaborative specifically to produce the video. According to Village Manager Jessica Frances, the cost to produce the video was about $10,000.
There’s no online link for the video yet, but it was played during the village board’s June 16 meeting. That meeting can be viewed online at www.riversidetv.us and the marketing video starts at about the 32 minute, 10 second mark.
The video is clearly geared toward prospective business owners and features commentary by Village President Ben Sells and Peters. Picturesque views of the village landscape are intercut with scenes from events such as the farmers market, Holiday Stroll, Fourth of July celebration, clips featuring short business testimonials, and “quotes” about Riverside’s business-friendly environment.
Peters said there will be at least two other, shorter videos produced by Nolan Collaborative that will be geared toward prospective businesses and new residents.
“What we hope is that we can take this video and all the other videos and really branch it out into social media, get it in front of the right people and make it something that is sustainable on the internet and elsewhere as opposed to a video that’s nice and then kind of disappears,” Peters told village trustees on June 16.
