San Marcos claims two state awards for excellence in communications
The City of San Marcos was recognized with two prestigious awards this month from the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO).
Two projects received CAPIO’s top honor, an EPIC award, for the San Marcos Creek Project logo and the San Marcos Creek Project groundbreaking ceremony. The logo and groundbreaking ceremony were created by the City with support from JPW Communications.
“These awards are a testament to the importance we place on keeping our community informed and involved on key infrastructure projects,” said Tess Sangster, Economic Development Director for the City of San Marcos. “We are honored to receive recognition from CAPIO – the state of California’s top communications association.”
EPIC Award details for The San Marcos Creek Project Logo
The City of San Marcos has embarked on a three-year, $104 million construction project to raise the roadways and bridges over the San Marcos Creek. This effort will reduce seasonal flooding that has plagued the area and restore habitat, along with other infrastructure improvements. The project, 30 years in the making, is the largest in the City’s history. JPW Communications was hired to develop and execute a robust, multi-year communications plan to guide the project’s outreach from pre-construction to post-completion.
The project’s tagline, “Our Neighborhood. Our Creek,” was created to underscore the collective vision for the area and acknowledge the work that had been done by previous councils, commissions and volunteers. Additionally, the tagline speaks to a new level of access the community will have to experience and appreciate its creek, as well as introduce a new era of development possibilities for the surrounding area. The tagline was designed to scale as it grows to encompass a soon-to-be-realized future. The new logo introduces a bold and energetic mark that embodies the flowing creek, new bridges and inclusive features that will invite San Marcos residents to enjoy the creek in a new way. The logo, tagline, assets and collateral pieces were created to launch the project uniformly and carry the project seamlessly through to completion.
EPIC Award details for The San Marcos Creek Project Groundbreaking Ceremony
To commemorate the San Marcos Creek Project’s kick-off, the City of San Marcos hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Dec. 11, 2019, for both elected officials and the community. The goal was to welcome as many community members as possible. San Marcos wanted to inform its audiences about the project and build goodwill in advance of two years of disruptive construction. The event was a huge success, with 180 people in attendance. The event also garnered media attention including six articles, an in-studio interview with the mayor and a live TV broadcast.
“The San Marcos Creek Project is 30 years in the making, so it was crucial for us to create a comprehensive communications campaign for the community that would carry us through the life of this important project,” Sangster said. “The award-winning logo and groundbreaking ceremony have played an integral role in the project’s continued success.”
