CITY OF PEKIN, ILLINOIS UNVEILS NEW BRAND IDENTITY

PEKIN, Ill., Jan. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Pekin has unveiled an all-new brand identity, positioning the Central Illinois community as a top choice to visit, live, and work. The city celebrated its bicentennial anniversary in 2024 and boasts a population of 31,731 who call the city home. The new brand and subsequent 3-year marketing campaign will promote the city's remarkable past, outdoor recreation, and exceptional opportunities for affordable living, career growth and business investment.

"Our brand identity is a crucial component to telling the world the true story about Pekin," said Mary Burress, Mayor of Pekin. "Thanks to this new brand and campaign, we can tell the world what we know to be the truth: Our community is a fantastic place to live, to raise a family, to work, and to just enjoy the very best of what Central Illinois has to offer."

THE WHY BEHIND THE REBRAND
The new brand identity is the centerpiece of a fully approved, multi-year, integrated marketing campaign that includes digital and print advertising and the creation of a new economic development website, content, and collateral. The purpose of the campaign is to:

• Attract new residents and residential developers
• Attract new retail businesses/developers
• Attract new corporate/industrial businesses/developers
• Recruit new workers and build more awareness of area employers and their open positions and benefits
• Market quality of life attributes, including the overall community amenities, culture, and affordable cost of living advantage compared to larger metros
• Increase the number of existing area employees living in Pekin

The new brand and logo will be featured prominently in all City of Pekin marketing messaging along with new colors and styles established by the city's newly developed brand guidelines. Together, these pieces will work together to communicate the benefits of life in Pekin.

"Pekin has a lot to offer; we're far more than just a small river town. With a world-class parks system, high-quality education, and an affordable cost of living, it's clear this is an ideal place to put down roots," said John Dossey, Pekin City Manager. "With this rebrand, we want to communicate the many uncommon benefits that set Pekin apart from other Midwestern destinations."

"Our city is bursting with opportunities for business and industry, and communicating those strengths starts with showing what makes life here so special," said Josh Wray, Director of Pekin Economic Development. "As we show why residents should settle in Pekin, we'll also tell the story of why businesses can thrive here as well. This is a pivotal moment in the history of Pekin."

CREATING THE BRAND
The City of Pekin, working together with the Pekin Economic Development Advisory Committee, contracted locally based McDaniels Marketing — an experienced, nationwide "place marketing firm" that has operated in Pekin since 1966. The goal was to build a brand that would establish a bold, new identity for the City of Pekin and highlight the city's most attractive attributes. McDaniels Marketing worked closely with local stakeholders to gather information about Pekin, including existing perceptions from both residents and non-residents from other cities, to help identify the city's strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. Armed with this data, McDaniels Marketing developed all-new brand messaging, plus a new logo and a tagline.

"Our place marketing firm rebrands and markets cities and counties over a nine-state area. However, this one is very special, being our home city," said Randy McDaniels, President/CEO of McDaniels Marketing and a lifelong Pekin resident. "Pekin needs to get on a growth pattern again. I feel confident this new brand and live/work/invest marketing campaign will make a huge impact. With new retail stores and other new employers investing in Pekin, coupled with the northern expansion, the next 10-20 years should be very exciting."

The Logo
The new Pekin badge style logo invokes strength, resilience, and safety. Citing the city's reputation as "the Marigold City," the new logo prominently features a marigold in the center that adds a sense of warmth and welcoming, utilizing a realistic style with many layers of petals to represent diversity, history, and connectivity. The new color scheme is inspired by the shades found in marigolds, including golden yellow, warm red, and deep maroon. The logo family also includes variations for numerous city departments, including the Public Works Department, the Police Department, the Fire Department, the Municipal Airport, Community Development, Economic Development, and the Riverway Business Park.

The Tagline
McDaniels Marketing also crafted a new tagline as part of the rebrand. "Your Place to Grow" positions Pekin as a place to flourish, a place where families can put down roots and prosper. The tagline also hearkens to the city's nickname, "the Marigold City," encouraging residents to blossom and radiate like its signature flower.

The Brand Promise
The McDaniels team developed a new brand promise to communicate the brand value of Pekin:

When you live in a place you love, it's hard to hide your sense of pride. Whether it's the homes that house us, what our manufacturers make or the trusted teachers that train tomorrow's talent, we are truly proud of the many places and spaces and even greater faces that make Pekin, Illinois, great. From the time our town was first settled in 1824, Pekin propelled itself into a powerhouse of agriculture, manufacturing and insurance. Always evolving. Always changing. Always thriving. Located near the center of Illinois, Pekin is all at once near everything while being like nowhere else. Surrounded by bountiful farms and bordered by the banks of the Illinois River, our urban spaces blend beautifully with natural places, including preserves and flower-filled parks, earning us the title of Marigold City. And whether your place in Pekin has been a journey of generations or experienced as a new neighbor or a gracious guest, we welcome all and encourage all to be Pekin Proud.

Brand Standards, Messaging, & Merchandise
The City of Pekin has finalized its new branding and brand standards, along with a potential line of new merchandise emblazoned with the new logo.

For more information, please contact:

JOSH WRAY
Director of Economic Development — City of Pekin
309-478-5355 • [email protected]

BRIDGET NORMAN
Media & Public Relations Director — McDaniels Marketing
11 Olt Ave., Pekin, IL 61554
309-346-4230 • [email protected]

SOURCE City of Pekin, Illinois