The Tennessee Department of Transportation had an an enormous image problem when Governor Bredesen took office in 2003. The previous administration had run as an untouchable monolith, with no plan for consumer or constituent services or response.

The new commissioner wanted to inform a largely skeptical public that TDOT really was there to serve them, and keep things moving, rather than be known for traffic snarls, orange construction cones and questionable environmental practices.

Following the lead of the technologically advanced "SmartWay" intelligent traffic system (which we branded), Zapfire examined TDOT's public image from bottom to top. The old logo, a heavy Helvetica italic "TDOT" with a red disc and stars replacing the letter "O" was tired and dated, and the red color was very arresting-- it seemed to say, "Stop!" Naturally, this is the opposite of what the agency is trying to tell its constituents.

The crucial element from our SmartWay branding mark, a green "button" with an arrow pointing up, became the centerpiece for the Department's new overall logo. The arrow gives movement, and symbolizes forward movement. A refinement of the color scheme, replacing the ubiquitous "state government" red, white and blue with a cool, calming green had a number of strong resonances. The color symbolism is captivating: in the realm of traffic management, TDOT's primary focus, green means "Go." In addition, green is the color that resonates most strongly with environmentalists, one of TDOT's most troubled audiences.

Finally, Zapfire's creative director and his team came up with a simple one-word tagline that encapsulated everything TDOT wanted the public to associate with the agency's new public spirit. As are the organization that keeps the roads moving in Tennessee TDOT's mandate is to help citizens simply, "Go."

As one of the Tennessee state government's most high-profile agencies the new TDOT logo graces highway help trucks, public buildings, roadway signage, work crew uniforms and other applications. Furthermore, the new logo has served as a springboard for other co-branded and parallel programs, such as the GoSmart tourist center travel information kiosks, the Governor's Highway Safety Office, the SmartFIX program, the Tennessee Wildflower Project and other TDOT concerns. TDOT's new mission and outreach to the public with its "kinder, gentler" image is well-documented, and the agency's public opinion rating is higher than at any previous time.