Rolling Meadows Unveils Bold New Branding: The End of an Era

From business cards to signage, Rolling Meadows officials have kicked off a new era of city branding in the new year, marking the end of the 1960s-era municipal seal that was once embroiled in a lawsuit led by the late suburban atheist Rob Sherman.

New Seal Design

The new square seal incorporates the topography of waves and hills, featuring "Rolling Meadows" alongside the year 1955, which signifies the city's incorporation. This replaces the previous circular seal designed by Cheryl Knudsen, an eighth-grader, for the city’s fifth anniversary.

Legal Background

One quadrant of the old design included a cross and church, which was deemed unconstitutional by a federal court in 1991 after Sherman’s lawsuit. Following this ruling, the quadrant remained blank until 1995, when the city council opted to add silhouettes of a man, woman, and child. The former concrete seal in front of city hall retained the blank quadrant as a “statement of protest.”

Concrete depiction of the old Rolling Meadows city seal in front of city hall.

Rebranding Initiative

The concrete seal will now be removed, making way for landscaping as part of a broader rebranding effort. City officials stated that the new logo aims to respect Rolling Meadows’ past while symbolizing the community’s future.

The new corporate seal, designed by Selbert Perkins Design, will be used to authenticate official documents and comes with a fresh marketing logo and tagline. The previously criticized “tombstone” logo has been replaced with the “Natural Harmony” design, a modern interpretation of the old mark.

New Rolling Meadows marketing logo developed by Selbert Perkins Design.

Slogan Change

The outdated slogan “Progress Through Participation” has been replaced with “Together We Can.” The city council approved the new seal last month, following prior support for the rebranding initiative throughout 2024.

Assistant City Manager Glen Cole emphasized the gradual implementation of the new branding, starting with low-cost projects. Initial steps include creating document templates, updating business cards, refreshing the website, replacing city flags, and installing new signage.

A new monument sign will be erected at a bridge over Route 53, with additional signs planned for 2026 and 2027. Decals will be added to new city vehicles, and street signs will be gradually updated, starting with Kirchoff Road this year.

“This really brings together all of the different parts that we’ve presented to the community and the city council over the last year,” Cole said. “We’re excited to have this project complete. We’re excited to put it into practice.”