Columbia Association to Change Iconic 'People Tree' Logo

There’s a small problem with the ubiquitous logo you see on t-shirts, websites and brochures, and all around town.

The current logo, which has been used by the association for 15 years, looks “scrunched” on social media, said Columbia Association director of marketing and communications Valerie Barnard.

This spring, the association plans to reveal the new logo, which will include an updated image of the People Tree. The People Tree is also a sculpture located right outside the organization’s headquarters in downtown Columbia.

“We heard loud and clear,” Barnard said. “[People] said they didn’t want us to get rid of the tree [on the logo].”

It’s worth mentioning the tree sculpture will not be going anywhere, CA officials said. 

The sculpture, made of fiberglass and gold leaf, was created by Parisian artist Pierre duFayet, who was hired by the Rouse Company in 1965. It is a civic monument that interprets "Columbia's goal to create an environment that contributes to the growth of people and fosters community spirit," according to a Columbia Association brochure.

It contains 66 "abstract human figures" reaching out from a central core, the brochure said.

Barnard said the new logo has been completed, but she won’t be able to share it with the public until the spring, when there will be a formal marketing campaign regarding the change. She also declined to release how much it cost to trademark the design and hire Redhead Companies to design it, as officials are still tallying the final number.

Columbia Association member Tom Coale broke the logo news recently on his blog, Hoco Rising.

“I've been impressed with all of my interactions with Redhead and look forward to their proposal, but as a former employee who wore the People Tree on my polo shirt for two years, I am a little reticent to concede,” he wrote.