Fresh look for council
Published on 28 January 2026
Whanganui District Council has introduced a new brand aimed at making its services easier to understand and strengthening its connection with the community.
The council’s interim chief executive Barbara McKerrow says the new design is fresh, modern and grounded in place.
She says conversations about the need to refresh the council’s brand began in 2023 during the development of the council’s Strategy for Whanganui – Rautaki mō Whanganui, which included extensive community engagement.
“As part of that work, it became evident that a strong, clear identity was central to the council’s future relationships with the community.”
Over the last decade, the council’s brand has centred on the Whanganui City Council crest, granted in 1955. While the crest remains an important part of the council’s heritage, research conducted in early 2025 found that while residents generally viewed the council as approachable, many were unclear about its services and responsibilities and did not relate to the existing brand. Sixty percent of people could not recall the council’s logo, and only 20 percent of respondents viewed the crest positively.
“The symbols and colours within the crest reflect significant moments in the district’s history,” says McKerrow, “but as a primary visual identifier it has limitations. It isn’t well suited to representing the full breadth of what the council does today.
“Over time, this has resulted in the development of more than 20 separate brands for different services and initiatives, creating a complex and confusing identity for the council.”
Under the new approach, the crest will be separated from the council’s name, restored to its original colours, and reserved for formal governance functions, such as the Office of the Mayor.
The council’s communications and marketing manager Sarah Pomeroy says the new brand draws inspiration from the unique character of the Whanganui district. “It reflects the energy of our community and the place we all call home.
“Most people working at the council live here in this district,” she says. “It’s where we pay rates, raise families, experience the beautiful natural environment, share stories tied to this place and connect with others every day in the community. For a long time, our brand hasn’t reflected this – and it’s also been difficult to apply consistently across the wide range of work the council does.”
Pomeroy says the new brand will bring clarity and efficiency. “With built-in colour combinations and clear guidelines, we’ll achieve greater consistency with less effort and duplication – and we expect this to deliver savings over time.”
The new tohu (logo) represents movement and energy, referencing the awa and the connections that shape the district, while also forming a distinctive ‘W’ that will become easily recognisable.
Four colour combinations – orange and light pink, green and light blue, maroon and beige and blue and light purple – express themes associated with the Whanganui district, including creativity, celebration, sunsets, the awa and the sky, gardens, farms and forests, heritage and history, originality and resourcefulness.
The brand strategy and design were delivered by Auckland-based agency, Extended Whānau, chosen for their extensive council experience and previous work on the UNESCO City of Design tohu and branding for the redeveloped Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery.
The agency cost for brand strategy, design and brand guidelines was $41,800, with further collateral design, including templates for stationery, advertising and presentations, costing $20,000. Local expertise was also sought to test ideas with community stakeholders, Hapū and Iwi. Costs have been met through existing budgets.
Pomeroy says the new look will be rolled out gradually over the next two to five years, again using existing budgets. “Signs, uniforms and materials will only be updated as they need replacing.
“There’s very little that needs printing in a digital world,” she says, “and where there is, the stock we have on hand will be used first to minimise waste and expense.”
Digital platforms, including the council website and social media, will be updated immediately.
View our brand story