The most common approach used when tasked with developing a logo and graphic profile for a place is to isolate the one thing that the area is best known for and to use that as the base for communications. Hence the multitude of “horse” communities, or “Cities of Trees” and the like.

When tasked with doing this work for Lerum, We chose to view the “lack” of a common denominator, or “red thread” as it is called in Swedish, as a positive reflection of the multitude of factors that defined Lerum Municipality instead of a shortcoming. We then used this diversity as our jumping off point.

Instead of a red thread, we found many threads, each one representing its own aspect of a larger whole and ultimately building the fabric that is the Municipality – and the base for its new logo and graphic elements.

The design was implemented across a vast range of surfaces, from signage to cars, buildings, and vehicles and used as the foundation for all communications.

Lerum also asked Buddy to add some graphic elements to the graphic profile. The municipality had seen a need for a more “green” and “organic” way of communicating environmental issues, nature, and other areas that fell in the grey zone between standard political or administrative areas and more “socially oriented” areas. We took our Lerum woven fabric theme and created a series of woven silhouettes in various forms and colors that can be used in a wide range of applications and materials. A clever way to extend a graphic ID’s scope and application without weakening it, if we do say so ourselves.