NOTE: This post no longer has images from the original entry. During the transition away from Wordpress, the images were lost.

Over the last several months, I have had the privilege of working with the team at Rockford Ambulance in western Michigan. Having spent several days with the leadership immersing myself in the culture and history, I have grown fond of the organization and the people who make it happen. We are moving aggressively to revamp their branding, arming them with the tools they need to grow beyond their core emergency ambulance services. By looking beyond just web sites and brochures, we are building a strong foundation where every touch a customer has reinforces the core personality and culture Rockford exudes.

They have an amazing history of service to their community (as evidenced by the half-dozen scrapbooks stuffed with thank-you notes and praise). Their visual presentation just didn’t do them justice. They are a deeply committed organization filled with long-term employees who pride themselves on their fast, caring service. Their current logo, web site, and marketing materials had become dated and left little room to compete with larger organizations that spend heavily on marketing. The old logo, at left, was busy and wasn’t used (or even designed) consistently across each piece.

Having already invested heavily in their staff and facilities, Rockford is poised to make some serious strides in the coming years. We went to considerable lengths to build on the history and equity already invested in the Rockford Ambulance reputation and logo over the years. Rather than throw out the old, we tweaked it, creating a bold, clean look while keeping key elements from the past.

Shown here is a sneak peek at the new Rockford logo, crafted by gifted Fort Wayne designer Mark Russet, that will make its debut in just a few weeks. I’m thrilled at all that we have in store for the coming weeks and look forward to sharing. The logo is only the beginning to a dramatic rebranding.