Riviera Beach, Florida

Key Challenge

At first glance, the City of Riviera Beach appears to be two worlds colliding. On Singer Island, gleaming residential and vacation rental towers preside over a pristine stretch of ocean and sand, their windows overlooking the comings and goings of leisure and commercial watercraft that make regular use of the city marina and the Port of Palm Beach. Meanwhile, the working-class neighborhoods of the mainland have fostered a lively community heavily influenced by Caribbean culture and traditions, giving newcomers and longtime residents a lasting foothold in the American Dream.

The clear socio-economic differences between island and mainland have proved difficult to reconcile for some time, with many believing themselves to belong in one part of the city but not the other. For this reason, the first step to inviting outside interest is getting everyone already in Riviera Beach to look past the obvious and collaborate on a shared vision for the whole community.

Insights

The Blue Heron Bridge spans the two-thirds of a mile that separates the mainland and Singer Island. Beneath it, Phil Foster Park offers much more than the traditional trees and picnic tables. A world class snorkel trail—considered one of the best shore diving spots on the continent—guides visitors around an astonishing ecosystem full of life and unbelievable colors. It’s right under everyone’s noses (and masks, as the case may be), and it’s 100% free.

Such is the promise of Riviera Beach: contrary to hearsay and stereotype, the city’s dynamic industry and sense of community await in plain sight for anyone willing to take a closer look. Some of the world’s largest businesses have come to depend on the Port of Palm Beach as the ideal interchange for American-Caribbean trade and tourism. Likewise, residents lean on the connections they make and leverage the opportunities they can access, hoping to lead the coastal lifestyle they cherish. In turn, the people who love their stretch of Riviera Beach long to give back to a community that provides outsized advantages to all.

Brand Identity

With so many unexpected stories waiting to be discovered, the city’s new brand could hardly be constrained to ever-present Floridian themes of beaches, palm trees, and sunrises. Instead, the Riviera Beach logo plays with perspective, prompting the viewer to “See What’s Beneath the Surface” of a Sergeant Major fish whose coloring follows the upward curve of the Blue Heron Bridge. The combination of the icon and tagline creates the expectation of deeper meaning and deeper understanding, which entices audiences to reconsider prior-held beliefs about Riviera Beach by experiencing the community for themselves. For residents, this same message serves as a call to turn the tide: the old notions of “us on the mainland and them on the island” merely obscure the fact that the City of Riviera Beach designates a single, well-rounded community that is capable of achieving progress across various initiatives and biomes. Paired with bold yet natural tones and messaging, the Riviera Beach brand is poised to refashion the city in everyone’s eyes.