The Waitaki District Council’s unveiling of a new logo has ignited a wave of confusion on social media, though the council stands by its rebrand.
Unlike earlier branding efforts (the most recent of which was approved just five months ago) the current logo was developed entirely in-house by the council’s Communications and Engagement team.
In March, the council faced backlash over a proposed brand design that cost $100,000 and was accused of mimicking another company’s logo.
The design, commissioned through two professional firms, StoryInc and Ocean Design, was intended to reflect local Māori rock art and form part of new signage expected to cost up to $400,000 across the district.
Critics described the earlier design as “uncannily similar” to the logo of sustainable wool company Woolchemy, which is trademarked in New Zealand.
The council defended the work, saying the resemblance was coincidental and that the logo would be redesigned before adoption.
The new logo, which was developed at no extra cost, is a stylised lower-case “a”, which some Facebook users joked looked like a “boy racer burnout circle” or even “a rates increase”.
The Waitaki District Council (WDC), however, is once again standing by the design, saying it represents a thoughtful evolution shaped by community input.
“All I see are the letters AI. Where’s our W... or the river... or something relatable to Waitaki?” wrote one Facebook user.
In response to the Herald, a WDC spokesperson said the new logo is rooted in local meaning.
“The new logo is a cleaner, more simplified evolution of the previous logo. It is deliberately ambiguous and reflects many aspects of our district without being too literal.”
According to the council, the new logo incorporates several layers of symbolism, including architectural heritage, limestone fossils the district is famous for, and its lines reflect furrows in the earth from farming as a reference to agricultural heritage.
It said the logo built on the broader Waitaki district logo, which “symbolises the tributaries of our rivers, flowing to the ocean”.
The new logo was developed entirely in-house.
“All design and branding work was completed in-house by Council’s Communications and Engagement team, meaning there were no external design or consultant costs,” the council said.
“The new brand will be rolled out over time as signage and materials come up for renewal using existing budgets.”
For the past 35 years, Waitaki’s logo has centred on an Ionic column, reflecting Ōamaru’s Victorian heritage.
The council says that focus needed to expand.
“We see it as a natural evolution... The previous logo, while much loved, was a literal illustration of a Greek Ionic column and centred on Ōamaru’s Victorian architecture, which tied it to one time and place.
“As the district continues to grow and change, it’s important that Council’s brand can be used by all of the Waitaki district – its landscapes, communities, and future direction.”
The council acknowledged there was no standalone consultation on the logo itself, but said the branding direction was shaped by years of feedback.
“The Communications and Engagement Strategy and design direction was informed by community feedback gathered through: annual residents surveys and consultations, Community Conversations, [and] the Waitaki Story and logo project – which included extensive engagement with key stakeholders and iwi.”
That feedback, they say, “highlighted a desire for more consistent, inclusive and modern communications from Council – and a brand identity that could be used by the entire district, not just one town or heritage style”.
Only a few design iterations were needed, they add, because the logo is both “an extension of the Waitaki district logo and an evolution of the previous logo”.
Some Facebook users are unconvinced.
“I don’t even live in the district and I have no idea what that logo represents,” one person wrote.
“Certainly doesn’t project Waitaki.”
Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.