The STO unveils its new visual identity - L'avenir en commun

The Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) was very proud to unveil its new visual identity today.

The STO took advantage of the unique opportunity presented by the arrival of the Rapibus to modernize its image, along with a logo and colours that date all the way back to the 1970s (CTCRO) and 1990s (STO). "The arrival of the Rapibus means that the STO needs to introduce and renew many elements in its system, including signs for bus stops, various structures and new incentive parking facilities, customer information and communication elements, and much more. Consequently, this is an opportune and appropriate time to update our image in a financially responsible manner by gradually making the changes on all STO components," explained STO Chairman Patrice Martin. "We also want to harmonize the visual language for the Rapibus and the STO. From now on, the STO and the Rapibus will share the same visual platform that highlights public transit in a modern way," he added.

The STO's new visual identity consists of a logo in vibrant colours with an evocative symbol and a signature that brings people together with the promising vision of a future together: L'avenir en commun. The graphic symbol focuses on movement illustrated by sets of arrows.

"We are starting a new era of public transit and STO riders are taking the step with us. We are proposing a new way of travelling, a new network, new technologies, and many more new things throughout the system, so we want them to be able to recognize our products and services easily and have this new visual identity become their daily reference," clarified the chairman.

The logo

The logotype comprises the letters STO. It is easy to identify, simple and accessible. It ensures good visibility and gives solid character to the name. It is also easy to use. The two colours go well with the colours of the Rapibus logo, for a more unified visual effect when the two appear together. The blue and green recall the link with the City of Gatineau. The green also recognizes the importance that we give to our environment.

The symbol that accompanies the logotype consists of two parts in two distinct colours joined by a slash symbolizing the STO, which is the link between the city and its citizens. The symbol is shaped like arrows illustrating continuous movement. It evokes the road taken and the road ahead.

Signature

L'avenir en commun is a signature that invites everyone to take an active part together in a shared project for the future, to create the community of tomorrow today, by opting for responsible transportation choices now. "Our choices today shape the future," recalled Mr. Martin.

The new positioning is a lever for the organization and shows the STO as a key player in community development, in keeping with its mission and strategic development plan. "It's a vision that encompasses our actions and our projects. L’avenir en commun guides and brings employees, patrons, partners and the public in general together around a shared objective: to build the community of tomorrow today by ensuring sustainable mobility," stated Mr. Martin.

The visual universe

The STO's visual universe will consist of a set of arrows in a palette of soft colours. It is a meaningful graphic expressing the visual identity of the new STO. The arrows represent mobility and movement, regardless of the direction chosen. Grouped together, they evoke the notion of pooled interests. Far from being static, this concept can be used for different visual variations to highlight the STO's various products and services.

"With its new identity, the STO is showing that it is open, modern, attentive and committed now and for the future. Behind these new colours and this new logo stands a dynamic team that is ready to take up the mobility challenges of a growing city. The STO is in motion, like the arrows, with the objective to always serve the public better by innovating, focusing on accessibility, and developing its system and its infrastructures," added the STO's chairman.
The mandate to develop the new identity, including the production of graphic matrices that the STO can gradually apply to its different tools and materials, was entrusted to a local firm, BleuBlancRouge, for $72,000 subsequent to a public call for tenders.

The new visual identity will be deployed gradually on all STO components over a period of four to five years as it is incorporated into ongoing activities to acquire new buses and renew facilities, or into the STO's procurement budget, among other things.

"L’avenir en commun is all of us TOGETHER who will build a responsible, ever greener community that is a great place to live today and tomorrow," concluded Mr. Martin.

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The graphic components of the STO's new visual identity are available for the media in the sto.ca/press room, under logos and Graphic Standards.