The city's brand new problem

You may have seen the city's new logo traveling around the internets: 

Art and design criticism is outside of my jurisdiction. I think it's fine, but I also don't know what was wrong with the previous city seal, which has a bunch of interesting historical references to the city's founding: 

Apparently this has been in the works since 2019, and one person I spoke with said part of the motivation was to remove references to Stephen F. Austin. You may recall that in recent years various city commissions or departments have, in an exercise of performative progressivism ad absurdum, suggested that sites like Barton Springs (or even the city itself!) be renamed because they share the names of slaveholders. If this was truly the genesis of the new logo, city leaders are wise not to mention it. Greg Abbott and Fox News would have a field day. 

The response to the new logo that I've seen has been overwhelmingly negative. Many have pointed out that it is suspiciously similar to the logo of another large Texas city: 

Is there anything more embarrassing than Austin imitating Dallas? 

To be clear, the city did not merely announce a new "logo" today, but a new "brand." 

A city spokesperson tells me that the brand includes the "visual identity" as well as the "verbal identity, which includes the voice, personality and tone for all communications." 

As for the process that led to the new brand: 

"Surveys and focus groups with community members — including representatives of nearly two-dozen civic organizations – were conducted to gather community feedback," said Erik Johnson, a media relations specialist. "Additionally, an internal brand ambassador team was created with representatives from each City department and all employee types, from field workers to office staff. The executive team, including Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax, ultimately selected the new brand after considering community and staff feedback." 

T.C. Broadnax, whose most recent job was as city manager in Dallas....

At a press conference this morning, another spokesperson estimated the entire effort had cost about $1.1 million, including the $564k contract with Pentagram Design that Council approved this spring. It's not hard for me to imagine a Fortune 500 company spending that much (or much more) on a "rebrand," but a cash-strapped city? Just like Broadnax's taxpayer-funded salads, this isn't the reason the city is in a budget crisis, but it very well could be the reason the city's voters won't support a tax increase to resolve it.