Proposals for Logo and Branding Refresh Project

City Council Agenda Item Report FROM:

Ryan Cummins, City Manager

MEETING DATE:

February 3, 2026

SUBJECT:

Proposals for Logo and Branding Refresh Project

DESCRIPTION: In December, City Council approved the issuance of a request for proposals (RFP) for the logo and branding refresh project and forming a Branding Advisory Committee. We reviewed 26 proposals from agencies responding to the RFP. Firms responded from West Michigan, Greater Michigan, the Midwest, and even International. Responses ranged in cost from $7K to nearly $100K, all against the same scope and requirements provided by the city. The committee gathered to review submissions and arrive at a recommendation. The Criteria We reviewed proposals against the following criteria. 1 -- Evaluating Core Requirements • Did the agency address the core asks from the RFP? • Does scope of work/process outlined to deliver against the RFP feel

appropriate?

• Does the cost for the work/process outlined feel responsible and appropriate?

2 -- Evaluating Design Readiness • Does the proposal look, feel, and sound like what the agency will deliver? • Do case studies provided provide a sense of strategy-based design? • Does the agency's design POV feel clear, compelling, relatable, and timeless?

3 -- Evaluating Understanding of Saugatuck • Does the agency understand our sense of place, and in particular the power of

OUR place?

• Does the agency understand the relationship hierarchy between Saugatuck ->

West Michigan --> Michigan --> Midwest?

• Is the choice defendable, and why?

Recommendation After reviewing all proposals, the committee recommends hiring Concept A Creative Studio for the following reasons: •

Experience with both municipal and corporate branding

Experience with other West Michigan local and regional municipalities

Experience with Saugatuck-Douglas CVB, including campaigns with proven results

With knowledge of the city and the area, onboarding will be easier and more productive

Cost wasn't the lowest or the highest, but seemed most realistic

Because of the size of the files, all proposals can be viewed here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nHxplgeOcdlABACnb0xijQv1_re7q2m?usp=sharing Next Steps City Council should review all proposals and may either concur with the recommendation or select a different proposal. Once a firm is selected, the committee will set up a kickoff meeting and provide frequent updates to City Council. BUDGET ACTION REQUIRED: None at this time. Sufficient dollars were budgeted for a firm to assist with a logo and branding refresh project. LEGAL REVIEW: N/A at this time. SAMPLE MOTION: Motion to approve the proposal from Concept A Creative Studio for the logo and branding refresh project.