City’s rebranding keeps nod to Robin Hood

Sherwood is rolling out a new city logo that city officials said is meant to be a more consistent image to replace the various versions of the city’s familiar Robin Hood character.

The Robin Hood image is gone, though a reworked bow and arrow remain in the logo. A tagline of “Close to the action, far from the noise” can also be used with or independent from the logo.

“We never really had one,” Mayor Virginia Hillman said about changing the city logo. “We had the little Robin Hood and that just evolved over time. There were several different versions of it around. Everyone felt like it was time for the city to do some rebranding and to have a new image.”

The city’s Advertising and Promotion Commission paid the Stone Ward advertising agency in Little Rock $22,000 for the rebranding work in a joint project with the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce, said City Alderman Marina Brooks, who is the commission’s chairman.

Previously, City Hall, some city departments and the Chamber of Commerce used varying logos, Brooks said.

“We were looking at our letterheads and nothing was the same color, nothing was the same font,” Brooks said. “Some of the logos had the Robin Hood in the background.”

The tagline of “Close to the action, far from the noise,” reflects that Sherwood is close enough to the capital city of Little Rock to enjoy its amenities but “away from the hustle and bustle of the city,” she said.

Brooks added that she hadn’t heard any complaints about dismissing the Robin Hood image.

“I don’t think it was a drastic change,” Brooks said about the new look. “We still have the arrow in there. We’re not going to get rid of our past, but we’re looking toward our future.”

Officials unveiled the logo Tuesday evening at Sherwood’s 66th birthday event, but the changeover will be done in phases, Brooks said. That will help control the additional expense to place the new logo on city vehicles, buildings, letterheads and business cards, she said.

“We’re not just going to go and throw away perfectly good stuff,” Brooks said. “We will phase it in as needed. It involves a lot of changes. I’m not sure what the total cost will be when it’s all said and done. But I think we’re all very conscious about not throwing away perfectly good materials.”