Village board members gave the go-ahead Monday to “Welcoming. Beautiful. Connected.” as the community’s motto and also picked a new logo, a tree drawn with a continuous line that begins and ends in the same place ― Flossmoor.
Welcoming. Beautiful. Connected.
Flossmoor officials Monday endorsed those three words as community attributes that should be shared with the rest of the Chicago area, and beyond.
Village board members gave the go-ahead to “Welcoming. Beautiful. Connected.” as the community’s motto and also picked a new logo, a tree drawn with a continuous line that begins and ends in the same place ― Flossmoor.
The logo and tagline were chosen after months of examining Flossmoor’s brand and the best way for the village to communicate, both verbally and visually, what makes it unique and special. Maria Grillo was chosen as a consultant and met with village officials and residents to determine those attributes that best describe Flossmoor.
At Monday’s meeting, Grillo presented two proposed logos and taglines. She explained that the line making up the tree creates connections symbolizing those between people, neighbors and places, such as Flossmoor and Chicago. The tree’s branches and leaves refer to families of all descriptions that make up the Flossmoor community.
Also, the tree represents the village’s natural beauty and green spaces, and the symmetry and shapes found in architecture in Flossmoor’s classic homes and the downtown area.
The second proposed logo was a flower with petals representing the village’s positive characteristics. Village board members, however, overwhelmingly agreed that the tree was the better option.
The second proposed tagline was “Where You Belong.” Mayor Paul Braun said he preferred it, but the rest of the village board chose “Welcoming. Beautiful. Connected.” as the words that best describe Flossmoor and can be used to effectively market the village.
After the new logo and motto were chosen, board members were unanimous in their praise of Grillo and her design firm, and said they were pleased with the results of the branding effort.
“The result of this branding initiative truly reflects the community’s sentiments,” said Village Manager Bridget Wachtel. “Throughout our interviews and research, we heard that residents value the open-minded and welcoming nature of Flossmoor, the classic beauty seen in our parks, architecture and neighborhoods and the easy access to the city, both for work and culture.”
Through surveys and meetings with residents, the Grillo Group determined that Flossmoor’s key attributes are that the community is open-minded and inclusive, classically American and beautiful and culturally connected and intelligent.
In June, the branding study’s positioning statement was released. It reads: “The Village of Flossmoor is a welcoming, open-minded and safe community for families of all descriptions. It is a place where children can thrive and excel and where neighbors really care about each other. From a classically American small town abounding with beauty, both natural and architectural, Flossmoor residents have the quick and easy connection they want to the professional, intellectual and cultural richness of Chicago.”
The Grillo Group will next create design guidelines for the logo’s use. According to a press advisory from the village, the logo will be shared with the community at Flossmoor Fest on Sept. 9. The village plans to “use it in targeted marketing communications going forward.”