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Austin’s New City Logo Faces Backlash and Petition Ahead of Oct. 1 Rollout

The $1.1 million rebrand replaces more than 300 department logos in a phased launch focused on digital assets.

Overview

  • City Manager T. C. Broadnax unveiled the unified brand on Sept. 4, describing it as the first identity to represent city services across departments.
  • The logo and guidelines were developed by TKO and Pentagram, with designers citing inspiration from Austin’s hills, rivers, bridges, and violet crown skies.
  • Former council member Makenzie Kelly launched a petition to scrap the logo and seek a citywide vote, urging a pause to the rollout.
  • Budget documents put the initiative at about $1,117,558, including $640,000 for vendors, $115,000 for public awareness, $75,582 for software, $186,976 for staffing and legal, and roughly $200,000 for design work.
  • The identity goes live on Oct. 1 on websites, social media, and newsletters, with physical updates phased in over time and no changes to police, fire, or EMS uniforms; online critics likened the mark to Dallas’s logo as Rep. Chip Roy and others questioned city priorities.