Dublin City Council launches rebrand with new logo costing more than €44,000
Dublin City Council has refreshed its brand identity complete with a new logo that reportedly cost over €44,500.
As the fourth iteration of the council’s brand the past 20 years, the updated brand aims at improving accessibility, digital communication and Irish language obligations across its services. With a refreshed logo that reflects the city’s historical roots, it integrates the original Dublin crest and the River Liffey into a contemporary design.
Reports reveal more than €44,500 on consultants and design teams on the upgraded logo which Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare said is “a long-term investment that supports how we share clear, accessible information and deliver services across the.” Acting the introduction for a “modern and versatile” new identity, Mr Shakespeare stressed that the previous brand “no longer meets our needs,” particularly in the digital era.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Councillor Ray McAdam described the refreshed council identity as “a practical step in how we celebrate Dublin every day.” With a renewed focus on their digital offers, he said they are committed to “making it easier for people to find services, understand information, and feel connected to their city.”
“A modern, accessible brand supports an active city by helping people navigate parks, sport, travel and public spaces; a living city by making housing, planning, and frontline services clearer to access; and an engaged city by strengthening how we communicate, in English and Irish, with communities right across Dublin. It’s a smart, low-cost rollout that reflects a modern public service; clear, inclusive, and built for the digital age,” he said.
However, not all representatives were so supportive of the upgraded brand, as Sinn Fein Cllr Ciaran O Meachair outlined his opinion on Dublin Q102. He stressed that he is consistently contacted by members of his constituency and the council’s branding is never one the public are overly concerned with.
“I get a lot of issues highlighted to me, particularly with housing, housing maintenance, the housing waiting list, street cleaning, public cleanliness, all that kind of stuff,” he said. Cllr O Meachair cited the issues facing Dublin citizens in the coming weeks as increased local property tax and rent rises for those in social housing as major topics of concern.
“It is quite frustrating that people are going to see increased money coming out of their bank accounts. We’re being told by the council that this is all for the betterment of the public good that we need this additional money to fund additional services,” he said.
“But then the first headline that they're going to get is all this money is being spent on a new logo, a logo that I don’t think people necessarily want or need. It won't make a difference to the challenges we still have in the city.”
The refreshed brand aligns with the council’s corporate plan for 2025 to 2029, which includes a focus on digital transformation and making their services more accessible. As part of the process, they have worked closely with Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga to meet all Irish language obligations across the board.
The brand update also includes the adoption of a new primary typeface developed by the Braille Institute of America. This font is specifically designed to maximise character differentiation and improve readability for individuals with visual impairments.
The council’s digital platforms will be the first to feature their new branding and physical assets like signage, uniforms, and vehicles will be updated only after they’ve reached the end of their functional life and a replacement is deemed necessary.
For more information and to see our refreshed brand visit creativeresources.dublincity.ie/
This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme