Oldham Council sure new logo will be right on target

The new Oldham Council logo

Neighbouring Oldham’s brand new identity has been unveiled in a bid to create a borough where different cultures can live together in harmony.

The new logo, which cost £100,000 to create, is based on the concept of One Oldham, with all of the borough’s diverse communities coming together.

It is made up of a circle - to signify unity - on a turquoise background to help it stick in people’s minds.

The font used has been deliberately chosen to reflect Oldham’s down to earth and practical character.

Sue Vanden, managing director of Hemisphere, the Manchester-based company which did the design work, says the most important aspect is the tone of voice which embraces many different elements.

She added: “What we wanted to communicate is that Oldham is a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts, so just using a single slogan would not be enough.”

A range of catchphrases such as “Many Opportunities”, “One Location” and “Many Places, One Direction” have been created to work towards a more cohesive community and to overturn negative perceptions of the borough.

The leader of Oldham Council, Councillor David Jones, said: “This rebranding project has been a wake-up call for Oldham to start thinking and acting more positively about its future.

“To do that we need to be bolder in how we present ourselves to the outside world or we risk losing out on many of the opportunities that can help improve the quality of life for residents.

“There has never been a more appropriate time for us to live by Oldham’s motto and dare to be wise.”

Councillor Howard Sykes, the leader of the Lib-Dem group, said: “We know there is a need to improve the image of Oldham, as we are aware that current perceptions are having a negative effect on everything from attracting inward investment to encouraging people to come here to live, work or study.”

Alongside the circle there will be a series of different badges that can be used by partners and organisations within Oldham.

If members approve the scheme at tonight’s full council meeting it means work can begin in planning ways to introduce the new look into the borough in a way that will give it the most impact.

Liz Terry, director of strategy and resources, said: “Simply having one brand to represent Oldham will help us to be smarter about how we do things and people should start to see it appearing from early summer onwards.”

Nick Brown, chairman of Oldham Strategic Partnership, said: “ The younger generation wants to be able to say with pride ‘I live in Oldham’ and the new brand will be an important step on the path to achieving that wish.”