City of Maple Ridge Brand Strategy

About Project

Award Application for MarCom Award: Maple Ridge New Brand Launch
In October 2023, the City of Maple Ridge launched a new brand identity that highlights its strong connection to nature, significant economic and community growth potential, and vibrant community spirit. The launch marked a significant transformation designed to align with the City’s vision as one of the fastest-growing communities in the region.
The refreshed brand includes a modernized logo, bold and unique visual identity, vibrant colours and templates, updated fonts and a compelling brand story based on themes that emerged during months of development, including public engagement and a review of relevant research.
Our bold, and community-driven approach to rebranding has successfully redefined the City’s identity while aligning with our long-term strategic goals. This comprehensive brand overhaul goes beyond a visual update; it sets a bold vision for the future of the City, rooted in community engagement, inclusivity, can do attitude, and economic development. The new brand captures the essence of Maple Ridge, blending our natural beauty with our ambition for growth, and positioning the City as a vibrant, welcoming, and thriving community. This initiative has had a transformative impact, from reshaping perceptions to fueling civic pride and attracting new opportunities.
It has also been integrated into how the City does business and our commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and strategic management, grounded in best practices like the Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) framework. Maple Ridge’s leadership is driven by a mindset that embraces change, strives for excellence, and prioritizes progress.
The City of Maple Ridge’s bold and innovative approach to branding makes us an excellent candidate for the Mar Comm Award.
Brand Development & Community Involvement
The rebranding process was collaborative from inception, incorporating feedback from City staff, Council, residents, local businesses, and community groups through focus groups and surveys. This feedback painted a vivid picture of Maple Ridge as a city with an active lifestyle, abundant natural surroundings, vibrant energy, and exciting opportunities for economic growth and diversification. The rebrand celebrates these themes, resulting in three key brand pillars:
- Bold by Nature: Celebrating Maple Ridge’s natural beauty and outdoor lifestyle.
- Driven by Community: Showcasing the City is inclusive with a spirit of volunteerism.
- City on the Move: Reflecting the City’s economic aspirations and trajectory for future growth.
A Strong Visual Identity
The bold visual elements emphasize the community’s future while honouring iconic natural landmarks. These treasured features have been intricately woven into the logo and brand design, creating a timeless connection between the City’s past, present, and future. Notable elements include:
Golden Ears Mountains: A focal point symbolizing the City's natural beauty and strength.
Peaked shapes forming the “M” Representing Maple Ridge’s lush mountainous forests and the vibrant sunsets
Fraser River: A teal swoosh at the logo’s base and curve in the “g” reinforce natural form language and evoke the life-bringing river which grounds the City geographically and symbolically for both residents and the Katzie First Nation and Kwantlen First Nation.
Vibrant colour palette: Highlighting the diversity of Maple Ridge’s people, arts, and culture.
Source Sans Font: A contemporary, functional typeface that presents a clean, bold look while supporting Indigenous languages, emphasizing inclusivity and cultural recognition.
Strategic Launch & Key Milestones
As part of an overall update to its communications and engagement strategy, including a new website launched in April 2024, this brand reflects Maple Ridge’s progressive outlook and community-driven values.
The new brand launch was strategically timed to coincide with the City Economic Summit and two major events: the City’s 150th anniversary since incorporation and the 2024 BC Summer Games, as the City welcomed tens of thousands from across the province.
Honouring our Indigenous Partners
The new brand is featured in a Maple Ridge 150 sub-brand identity, which has been expressed in street banners, event stages, and other materials - designed in collaboration with local Indigenous artists to acknowledge the stewardship of the traditional territories of the Katzie (q̓ic̓əy̓) and Kwantlen (Qw’ó:ltl'el) First Nations. The sub-brand was displayed prominently at Our Neck of the Woods festival on Sept 14 marking the City's official 150th anniversary.
New gateway signs further enhance the City's welcoming image, featuring the greeting m̓i cepʷətxʷiləm in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, which translates to “Welcome - Welcome Everyone.” These signs underscore Maple Ridge’s dedication to inclusivity, cultural recognition, and community building.
Brand Implementation Across City Assets
In addition to digital assets, the new brand identity has been widely implemented across a range of City assets to reinforce its presence throughout the community. This includes:
City Hall Welcome Signage— New signage was added to City Hall, featuring a ‘Welcome, Diversity Belongs Here’ message as a bold declaration of the City’s commitment to inclusivity.
City Vehicles—Prominently displayed on City vehicles, including the newly acquired hydrovac water services truck and electric-powered waterworks van, which serve as mobile ambassadors showcasing the City’s commitment to water conservation, environmental stewardship, and infrastructure development.
City Apparel and Merchandise—The brand is featured on staff uniforms, promotional items, and public giveaways to extend its reach into everyday interactions between the City and its residents, reinforcing civic pride and engagement.
Tourism and Investment Campaign—The City is actively running marketing campaigns using the refreshed brand to drive economic growth and attract new visitors, residents and businesses - positioning Maple Ridge as a destination for both tourists seeking outdoor adventures and investors looking for a city with untapped potential.
Modernizing City Facilities—The new brand and core values are now prominently displayed at the City’s Recreation Centre and Youth Centre to instill public pride and confidence.
Sub-Brand Identities—The versatile new logo has offered a range of possibilities for creating functional sub-brands for specific City initiatives or divisions. All sub-identities directly reference the primary identity while offering intentional degrees of separation where needed.
Brand Standards & Templates for Consistency
To ensure a cohesive and consistent brand implementation across all platforms and materials, the City developed a comprehensive Graphic Standards Guide. This guide directs how the brand elements—such as logos, colours, fonts, and design motifs—should be used across City communications. In addition, staff have access to various brand templates that streamline the creation of consistent marketing materials, ensuring the brand’s integrity is maintained throughout the organization. These tools empower staff to deliver branded content confidently and effectively while promoting brand recognition and unity across all departments to convey a ‘One City’ culture.
Phased Implementation
To ensure financial responsibility, the City adopted a phased approach to the brand rollout, prioritizing digital assets first and gradually updating physical assets as needed. This approach demonstrates fiscal prudence while embracing a forward-looking strategy, ensuring long-term alignment with the City’s marketing goals.
Impact and Vision
Maple Ridge's last rebranding took place 17 years ago, long before many social, economic and other changes have reshaped the world and community we live in today. 
The new brand identity represents more than a visual change and more than just a logo or tagline. The new brand represents people's perceptions and feelings toward a community. The cornerstone of any successful city brand is developing a consistent and coherent strategy aligned with the city's strategic vision and desired perceptions. A city’s brand is fundamental to its identity, shaping how it communicates and markets itself.
By redefining how the City presents itself, the rebrand has already begun to:
- Enhance the City’s reputation and perception.
- Inspire civic pride and engagement.
- Support economic development and tourism.
- Strengthen partnerships with regional and provincial groups and leaders.
- Position Maple Ridge as a vibrant, thriving community of the future.
This comprehensive rebranding effort solidifies Maple Ridge as a bold, connected city ready to embrace the future, making it an exceptional candidate for the MarCom Award in marketing communications.
For more information about Maple Ridge’s new brand, please see examples included and visit mapleridge.ca/brand.