Currently every agency, board, and commission in state government has their own logo (or no logo).We believe the lack of a cohesive brand can be confusing. We want our customers to know when they are interacting with state government. We work together to make life better for all Minnesotans, and a unified brand helps us covey that message. We also want job seekers to know that we are one employer and that the state is a great place to start and grow your career. Having one clear and consistent brand supports our work to recruit and retain the best talent.

No. We hope this effort will help Minnesotans better identify our agencies and find the services they need. We believe making it easier to find and interact with the state is another step in improving our customer service. 

In 2013-2014 Explore Minnesota paid for the development of the logo. Today we are making smart use of that investment by sharing it across the enterprise. The cost of implementing the new brand to all agencies is minimal. We are updating online assets such as websites and social media using our in-house resources. We will update logos on other materials through attrition. For example, we will use up stationary before ordering materials with the new logo.

We believe we will see cost savings long term because we can now share templates across agencies, new materials are formatted with accessibility and usability in mind, making them easier for users to find, understand, and use. By reducing confusion, we save customers time, and reduce the need for follow up.

Yes. Explore Minnesota launched the new brand in 2014 to promote our state as a great place to visit. They have used the brand in print ads, marketing materials, TV commercials, and online.

Explore Minnesota really paved the way on this effort. They contracted with Little, a Minneapolis design and branding agency, to develop a new brand. Explore Minnesota started using the new brand in 2014.

Explore Minnesota and Minneapolis based design agency, Little, developed a few options and did extensive work to determine what the state brand should look like. For example, they got input from multiple test audiences. In the end, this was the design and look that most resonated. We couldn’t agree more. It really captures the playful spirit of Minnesota and the colors pay homage to one our state’s best assets, the great outdoors.

Yes. Michigan and North Carolina are excellent examples of a successful statewide branding effort. The MnSCU rebrand to Minnesota State is another good example. The University of Minnesota is another strong model of a unified brand among diverse services.

Most agencies, boards and commissions in the executive branch will move to the new look by December 2017.

To most efficiently use resources, agencies are updating materials as they touch them.  All state agencies, boards, and commissions in the executive branch will move to the new state brand by December 2017.

The rebranding is for state agencies in the executive branch. Minnesota State, formerly known as Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU), underwent their own rebranding this past year. They will not be included in this effort.

The rebranding is for state agencies in the executive branch. The University of Minnesota underwent a very successful rebranding of their own a few years ago. They will not be included in this effort. In fact, the State of Minnesota has looked to the U of M as a model in our work to roll out the new brand.

The rebranding is for state agencies in the executive branch.