PACC’s Old Logo
Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Rebranding
The PACC reached out to Bradley University’s design students to revitalize their branding, particularly with a new logo. On the left here is what their logo looked like at the time.
They felt that this logo and color scheme were dated and generic, and wanted something that could bring more of Peoria into their branding.
My classmates and I each presented our designs to the PACC in early 2023. My "Open Door" design was their second pick overall after seeing 45 designs from 15 students.
Scroll down to see my process and the final designs that I chose to present to the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce.
I started by looking at the mission statement on the Chamber's website and the language they use. I picked out the terms building, community, and beginning to guide my concepts. The Chamber of Commerce is a resource for Peoria’s thriving community of small businesses that allows them to get started and grow a company from the ground up.
“Building” is referring to the idea of growing a business, not necessarily physically building something, but the imagery of building and expanding a business could be centered around construction or actual buildings.
“Community” primarily connects the Chamber with their members and the Peoria community as a whole. It means being welcoming, approachable, and involved.
“Beginning” is the most important from my point of view. Ribbon cutting ceremonies and grand openings for businesses are a huge part of the Chamber’s image, and it ties in the themes of community and growing a business.
Sketches
With my key words in mind, I looked to the industries and culture that make up Peoria, IL. Peoria’s skyline, the Illinois River that runs through the heart of the city, the agriculture that makes up much of the area outside the city. Symbolic images like a monarch butterfly or a budding peony that represent growing prosperity and beauty.
Some of these designs I liked in concept, but not enough as a practical logo. I chose to adapt 6 of my best designs into graphics to figure out how to make them really work.
Some of these designs ended up looking very similar to their sketches, while others had become much more simplified. I focused on getting each image down to the core of its symbolism, and from there I picked my top 3 to present to the Chamber, with one being my primary choice above the others.
Open Door
My final, top pick logo is an open door, with a blue brush stroke stretching out of it. An open door is a universally welcoming image, representing the Chamber’s support for all of Peoria’s diverse community. The resources and help available through the Chamber are open to all.
The blue brush stroke has a dual meaning, representing both the Illinois river that Peoria is built on as well as the ribbon cutting ceremonies that the Chamber hosts with each new business that they help get started.
The design is friendly, approachable, and ready to welcome new business owners into the Peoria community.
The chosen typefaces are sturdy and reliable, as well as clean and modern. They give the Chamber the feeling of a solid foundation and up-to-date tools and resources to support growing businesses.
The colors match the updated flag of Peoria, which became official only months before the Chamber decided to redesign their logo. As a Peoria-centered organization, it made sense to update the colors to match Peoria’s new identity.
Blue, green, and yellow are also symbolic colors for Peoria, not just colors on a flag. The blue represents the river, but also the innovative medical industry that the city prides itself on. Green is for the agriculture that is the backbone of the region, as well as the natural beauty of the environment, as Peoria is home to Illinois’ oldest and largest park district. The yellow stands for Peoria’s construction industry, as it was home to Caterpillar Inc. for many years, and the slight gradient gives it the feeling of a sunrise and new beginnings.
Secondary Options
These two were my second and third pick for the logo. The one on the left focuses on the idea of community, with a very simple image of a person. It represents the people that make up Peoria, with the Chamber as a supportive figure.
The second design, featuring a sunrise and growing city structures, focuses on the ideas of building and beginning. It represents the constant growth of opportunities in the city of Peoria as some businesses open their doors for the first time while others expand into a bigger building.
