Branding / research / identity design / brand guide
San Mateo County 101 Express Lanes
In 2021 we won the RFP to design a new brand for the Joint Powers Authority that manages the paid Express Lanes on Highway 101 in the San Mateo (Bay Area) region with our partners at FivePaths.
They had no logo yet just the acronym SMEL for San Mateo Express Lanes, not ideal for obvious reasons. We focused on qualitative research using the Human-Centered Design approach (HCD) to understand the needs and expectations of constituents and stakeholders including one-on-one interviews with all board members. There had been conflicting opinions and goals stated because the joint powers were half CCAG (representing the cities of San Mateo) and half San Mateo County Transit Authority (SMCTA) with different priorities.
New Identity & Brand Guide:
challenge
Aligning the team with their mission
In our one-on-one interviews, we were able to distill all perspectives into one cohesive document, which was verified in a joint work session. In the end, we had everybody aligned behind one mission and were able to create a new brand including logos, a new color palette, and messaging standards with the help of two rounds of stylescapes. The messaging standards were important because the Express Lanes were easily misunderstood to be “just for rich people” vs. the reality, a measure to counter congestion, reduce CO2 generation, promote multi-occupancy options, and give back to the community with an equity program that will funnel fees back to the community to give discounts for the Express Lanes but also public transportation use.
design phase
Stylescapes & Logo Explorations
After we had distilled the interviews into a cohesive document and got it signed off by the work-group, we laid out our first set of Stylescapes with one mild version in pastel colors with real photography, one super-spicy version playing on the tech and gaming sector in Silicon Valley by simulating an old school video game and a medium version with illustrations. We settle in one more round of Stylescapes on a visual direction and messaging that translated the goals well and was fitting for the government agency and the target audience.
Stylescapes explore design direction
early on in the process
Logo Explorations sans color to focus on the icon
BRAND ROLLOUT
Brand Identity
The main brand we developed is called the 101 Express Lanes (San Mateo). The logo is compact and this way easily usable in social media as an icon that incorporates highway 101, a vehicle, and emphasizes community, equity, and multi-occupancy with the three figures inside of the logo. The stylescapes gave direction beyond the logo towards a graphic style, a color pallet, and an illustrative communication/messaging style that relates to the diverse constituency of San Mateo County.
The new brand is just in the beginning of being implemented. First reactions are that the 101 Express Lanes now are coming across as more inclusive and progressive.
Outlook
We are hopeful that the district will make use of the illustrative approach and messaging to focus on the positive environmental effects, congestion meditation, and the equity program that makes these paid lanes positive for everybody in the community.
