PROCESS DECK Justin Fisher

The City Mark - San Diego GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

San Diego City Hall

Civic Ctr Wy, San Diego, CA 92101

Phone: +1 847-943-4000

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PROCESS DECK Justin Fisher

The City Mark - Research GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

Clients: San Diego Gov. Officials Background:

City: San Diego

Founder: Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo

State or Region: California

Country: U.S.A

Todd Gloria Jennifer Campbell Charles Modica Population: 3,319,000 (Macrotrends 2023)
Mayor of San Diego Councilmember Independent Budget Analyst

Industries: Defense, Aerospace, Shipbuilding and Repair, Medical Devices,

Craft Brewing, and Sports and Active Lifestyle Industries
Project Description: (San Diego Regional EDC 2023)

The City of San Diego is designing a new logo to create an innovative and appealing
design that resonates well with both its residents and visitors. The new logo’s success
depends on its ability to evoke positive feelings associated with San Diego’s culture,
history, and natural beauty, while promoting the city’s brand identity and retaining its
position as America’s Finest City. It must convey San Diego’s dynamic spirit, commitment
to innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity, and reputation as a premier destination
for tourism, business, and quality of life. The logo should capture San Diego’s distinct
identity, inspiring a sense of community and pride among residents and enticing visitors
to experience all that the city has to offer.
Landmarks: Balboa Park, Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego Zoo, Petco Park,
Old Town, Belmont Park, USS Midway, Mission San Diego de Alcalá and more
Sports & Pastimes: San Diego Padres, San Diego Wave, Surfing, Beach
Volleyball, Golf, Baseball, Football, Basketball, Running/Hiking, Cycling,
Sailing, and Fishing
Slogan: The motto, “Semper Vigilans,” is Latin for “Always Vigilant”
(San Diego Gov 2023)

Project Goals: Three Adjectives: Sunny, Historical and Coastal

Links: (San Diego Gov 2023)

1. To inform people about the rebranding
2. Increase web and social media traffic
3. Promote logo and communicate design choices to residents/visitors. Stakeholders: • Employees • Distributors
• Government • Executives
• Councilmembers • Competitors • Media
• Suppliers • Industry Associations • Retailers
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The City Mark - Research GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

Demographics:
Strengths: Weaknesses:
“According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s QuickFacts Population
Estimates (July 2017), the City of San Diego has a population of
• Tourism Industry • Rising Homeless Population
1.419,516 people, with 490,219 households. Nearly 21 percent
• Ideal Climate • Cost of Living
(20.7 percent) of the population is under 18, and 11.8 percent is
• Military Presence • Traffic
age 65 and older. Also, 49.8 percent is female, 30.3 percent is
• Multicultural Diversity • Drought
Hispanic and 43.6 percent (of persons age 25 or older) possess a
• Family-friendly • Education System
bachelor’s degree or higher. The national average for this level of
• Sports-culture • Limited Public Funding
educational attainment is 30.3 percent” (San Diego Gov 2023).
• Transportation Infrastructure • Limited Affordable Housing

Psychographics:
San Diegans value an active and healthy lifestyle. Many residents
enjoy spending time outdoors, whether it’s taking walks in Balboa
Park or cheering on the Padres at home games. San Diego is also
known for its cultural diversity. Additionally, the city is a popular
tourist destination with attractions such as Legoland California,
SeaWorld San Diego, and the San Diego Zoo. Opportunities: Threats:
• Address Homelessness • Global Warming
• Promote Sustainability • Economic Instability
• Improve Education Funding • Housing Crisis
Brand Attributes: • Improve Healthcare Access • Income Inequality
• Address Global Warming • Political Instability
1. Beachy • Road Resurfacing • Competitors:
2. Welcoming • Los Angeles
3. Multicultural • San Francisco
4. Vibrant • Seattle
5. Historical • Denver

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The City Mark - Visual Research GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

The City of San Diego logo is a

well-designed emblem.

The logo’s font choices are deliberate and help

convey a sense of authority and professionalism.
The bold Merriweather font used for the words,
“The City,” at the top of the logo commands
attention and creates a strong brand presence.
The logotype, set in Sifonn Basic, adds a touch of
modernity to the overall design.

In addition to the fonts, the logo’s color palette

is also thoughtfully chosen. The dominant blue
hue represents the city’s coastal location and
provides a sense of stability and trustworthiness.
The complementary gold color adds a touch of
sophistication and elegance, while the supporting
neutral tones help balance the overall design.

In addition, the logo offers multiple variations to

cater to different communication purposes. These
variations allow the logo to be used effectively in
various settings, from letterheads to social media
platforms (San Diego Gov 2023).

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PROCESS DECK Justin Fisher

The City Mark - Visual Research GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

I took these stunning photos of San Diego, highlighting some of the city’s most breathtaking sights. Each picture captures the beauty
and essence of the city, from the captivating sunsets to the majestic palm trees and the historic Hotel Del Coronado. I particularly enjoy
capturing long exposure shots, as they allow me to capture the movement and flow of the city in an artistic way. This Downtown San
Diego skyline photo in the top row particularly inspired this new logo.

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The City Mark - Ideation - Sketches GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

These preliminary logo concepts for San

Diego aim to highlight the city’s coastal
lifestyle by incorporating elements such
as the historic downtown skyline, sunset,
palm trees, or ocean waves. The goal is to
effectively convey San Diego’s dynamic
spirit, commitment to innovation and
sustainability, inclusivity, and reputation
as a premier destination for tourism,
business, and quality of life.

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The City Mark - Ideation - Refined Sketches GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

These logo designs are carefully crafted

to include symbols that represent San
Diego’s unique lifestyle. The first design
highlights ocean waves, while others
combine the city skyline with the waves.
Two designs creatively incorporate
symbols into the typography, such as a
sun and a palm tree. Each logo is distinct
and effectively captures the essence of
San Diego, resulting in a meaningful
representation of the city.

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The City Mark - Ideation & Font Exploration GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

San Diego SAN DIEGO
Tondu

San Diego
Karmina

San Diego
Good Times

Each typeface has its own unique

Funkydori characteristics, including varying letter weights,

San Diego
which make them suitable for different
purposes. However, when it comes to creating a
distinctive logotype that incorporates icons, “Ice
Cream” stands out as the ideal choice.
Ice Cream
“Ice Cream’s” letterforms have unique curves

San Diego
that are reminiscent of ocean waves, conveys a
coastal vibe.

Bernhard Gothic URW

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The City Mark - Revisions GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

Revisions

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The City Mark - Visual Analysis GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

Visual Analysis - Callouts

The inspiration for the logo came from the historic downtown skyline of San Diego,
an iconic feature of the city. I took a long exposure photograph of the skyline and
used it as a reference to create the logo. This design choice effectively showcases
the historic architecture and design of the city’s buildings.

“Proxima Nova” is a bold and

modern typeface that supports
The City of
the slogan “America’s Finest
City.” Its strong and confident
appearance perfectly aligns
with the dynamic and energetic
lifestyle of San Diego.

The font “Ice Cream” was chosen for the
“San Diego” text, as its curved ascenders and
descenders imitate the waves of the ocean. This
design decision is a clever way of acknowledging
the city’s coastal lifestyle, while the similarity
between the waves and the sun’s rays creates a
sense of unity and harmony between the ocean
and San Diego’s sunny climate.
The color palette of blue and yellow was chosen
strategically to complement the city’s sunny weather. Blue
represents the calmness and serenity of the ocean, while
yellow represents the warmth and energy of the sun. The
combination of these colors creates a harmonious and
joyful feeling that is perfect for branding San Diego as a
summer destination.

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The City Mark - Color Variations GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

Color Variations

Black & White

The City of The logo can be easily swapped to black and white
for different materials.

Original
The City of This logo can appear on the San Diego Gov.
website, press materials, notebooks, business cards,
t-shirts and more!

Blue
The City of This logo demonstrates the versatility of
colors. This logo has limitless color combinations.

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PROCESS DECK Justin Fisher

The City Mark - Web Identity GD-201-01 April 12, 2023

FINAL RESULT - Web Identity - Logo Comparison

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PROCESS DECK
The City Mark - Final Result
FINAL RESULT
The City of
The typeface “Proxima Nova” is a perfect match for San
Diego’s dynamic and energetic lifestyle, supporting
the city’s slogan of “America’s Finest City.” The font “Ice
Cream” was cleverly chosen for the “San Diego” text,
with its curved ascenders and descenders imitating the
ocean waves, nodding to the city’s coastal lifestyle. The
blue and yellow color palette complements the sunny
weather, with blue representing the ocean’s calmness
Justin Fisher
GD-201-01 April 12, 2023
and yellow representing the sun’s warmth and energy.
The historic downtown skyline served as inspiration for
the logo design, resulting in a distinctive representation
of San Diego’s iconic architecture. The overall design
effectively showcases the city’s key features and
highlights its status as a top tourist destination.
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