City of Monroe
Imagine Monroe: A Community-Driven Place Brand
Monroe’s tourism-focused brand no longer reflected what residents valued most about their city. Through engagement with more than 1,000 community members, JayRay developed a cohesive place brand and architecture that honors Monroe’s character and positions it as more than an adventure stop — it’s a place people are proud to call home.
Guiding Thought
A place brand only works if the people who live there believe in it. When branding leads with residents — not slogans — it builds authenticity, adoption and longevity. By aligning Monroe’s identity with community values and the city’s long-term vision, the brand could serve residents, businesses, visitors and government alike.
One City, One Cohesive Identity
We created a comprehensive place brand architecture spanning city government, tourism, economic development, small businesses and resident-facing communications. The identity system includes logos, brand guidelines and a clear brand voice, designed for everyday use across departments, not just campaign moments.
Rather than forcing a single narrative, we built a flexible framework that allows different audiences to connect with Monroe in meaningful ways while maintaining consistency across every touchpoint.
Listening First, Building Together
Our process began with a brand audit and competitive research, then went straight to the source: Monroe’s residents. Through surveys (in English and Spanish), phone interviews, focus groups and workshops, we gathered insight from more than 1,000 community members to understand what truly defines the city.
Key themes emerged: small, welcoming, friendly, rural, proximity to the outdoors, sense of community and safe. That insight guided every decision. We worked closely with city leadership and a group of 10 brand ambassadors representing diverse community experiences from concept through launch. We supported the rollout by developing collateral and providing hands-on brand training, ensuring city teams had the tools and confidence to carry the brand forward.
Results: Unified
