The Challenge

For over 40 years, the City of Pinole used a municipal seal featuring a human depiction intended to honor local Ohlone heritage. But as civic values evolved and public sensitivity around cultural representation deepened, City leadership recognized the need to revisit its visual identity. The challenge was to develop a new brand that honored not only Ohlone culture, but also Pinole’s special place as a scenic East Bay town ready to embrace the future. This meant balancing tradition, local pride and inclusivity within a single cohesive identity system.

Our Approach

The rebranding process for the City of Pinole centered on meaningful community engagement, cultural respect and strategic design thinking. The project commenced with a comprehensive audit of the City’s existing seal, encompassing its historical context and relevance to present-day values. Early consultation with local Indigenous representatives confirmed the need for a new visual identity that honored cultural heritage through respectful symbolism rather than human depiction.

To guide the design process, the City established an ad-hoc branding committee to help oversee development and ensure broad-based input. Multiple logo and seal concepts were explored, with feedback actively gathered through public surveys, internal staff sessions, social media engagement, community events and continued cultural consultation. This inclusive process ensured that the final design would resonate with both residents and key stakeholder groups.

Our process has explicit steps for logo development: a Concept Round, a Focus Round, and a Finalization Round. The adopted logo and seal feature layered visual references that celebrate Pinole’s sense of place and community character. Elements include stylized water forms representing the bay and Pinole Creek; a circular motif inspired by Ohlone basketry, symbolizing abundance, continuity and community; a hawk in flight representing vision and stewardship; native oaks and acorns drawn from the City’s name and landscape; and gentle hills colored in warm tones to reflect local geography and sunsets.

Once the design was selected, a full suite of brand tools was delivered, including a brand guidelines document and templates for print and digital use. These resources were designed to promote consistent application across departments and ensure the new identity could be implemented clearly, efficiently and with visual integrity across all City communications.

Results

Unveiled in March 2024, the City of Pinole’s new logo and seal were formally adopted by the City Council and warmly received by both residents and civic leaders. The rebrand process strengthened community trust and gave Pinole a way to reflect both history and future. Staff now have a professional visual system supported by clear guidelines to create community-facing materials that better reflect the warmth, beauty and community of Pinole itself.