A logo is the identity of a city. Citizens from Fairborn and surrounding regions should look right at Fairborn’s logo and know that it represents the City of Fairborn. The city wants a new logo and while we understand Fairborn’s mission in providing the city with a new brand — we feel that so far officials haven’t found a logo that accurately represents the community.
The city wants to change its image in the eyes of the Miami Valley and ultimately attract new citizens and businesses. City leaders have concluded that updating the city’s brand — changing its tagline and logo — will be a step ahead in this endeavor.
A design firm hired by the city for this project is gathering input for its new tagline. Right now they have three logo options, but those options do not represent what Fairborn is all about and what it has to offer very well.
While they are eye-catching, these proposed logos feel more like something that would be fitting for a business.
Citizens have spoken — they like the current logo. So do we! The current logo is closer to what we feel Fairborn means, but city leaders have spoken too — they feel that the current logo is from Fairborn’s past.
Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder — however, where are the wings or propellers that are meant to be represented in the new logo options? Until it was explained, we had no idea that this was the goal.
Fairborn is a unique city with a wide variety of spaces and contributing influences both in the city limits and nearby: agriculture, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, big city lights, a downtown area, parks and wooded places to explore — all while keeping a tight-knit, neighborly feeling.
How can a logo with a business-like design with various lines bouncing around the city’s name represent this community?
Tipp City’s logo includes the name of the community and a mum rising from above the word city (it’s known for its mum festival). Yellow Springs’ logo features the name of its village with multi-colored houses rising from the top of its title. Arcanum shares a logo with its school system. Columbus keeps it simple with “columb” in blue with “us” in red. West Carrollton’s logo features houses with blue lines, what appears to be water running below, which feels as if it is representing a city surrounded by water.
Each of these logos get at the identity of each municipality. We feel Fairborn’s logo, whether it stays as-is or changes in the near future, should do the same.
We ask the city to revisit these logos. There are a variety of ways to represent a city through a logo. Its current circular logo feels outdated but accurately represents Fairborn.
Change is great, but it should be the right kind of change.
