The City of Salem received two public vehicles: one for the library, and their first electric street sweeper. We illustrated two solutions, wrapping both vehicles in a way that sparks imagination and honors approachability.
Transport Van
Problem
The library van needed a vehicle wrap rooted in nature, a theme prevalent throughout the library to support an all-ages atmosphere. The van itself is rooted in accessibility, used to transport books to those in retirement communities who face transportation challenges.
Solution
We embraced the nature theme for the library van and took it up to another level, depicting a land where books are landmarks, and where imagination runs wild in the Pacific Northwest. This approach was built to inspire the youth while remaining parent-approved. A community vote of 860 determined this direction as the winner.
Images of the Salem Public Library van courtesy of Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter.
Scale was used to create depth. Books, mountains, and trees cover the vast landscape, while book pages, flora, and fauna highlight the spaces in between. We sought an opportunity to make the library van feel like an imaginative journey worth a close look, while paying homage to Salem and the Pacific Northwest through recognizable landmarks.
ZEUS
Electric Street Sweeper
Problem
Salem's first electric street sweeper named by the community, called ZEUS, needed a wrap that depicts the mythical god in a family-friendly manner, while properly crediting the PGE Drive Fund and DEQ's Oregon Clean Fuels Program.
Solution
We leveraged an illustration style rooted in youthful simplicity for ZEUS, depicting him as the creator of electricity that powers the vehicle. Neon yellow highlights the name for long-distance visibility, with the bolt serving as an accentual branded motif. We anchored the accreditation comfortably between two Doric columns on the back.
