Although many readers may know CI for its monthly, full-color print newspapers, the company is much more than just a printed newspaper. Since its inception in 2005 in the gameroom of John and Jennifer Garrett’s home in Pflugerville, Texas, the company has lived up to its entrepreneurial roots, creating its own in-house customer relationship management software, building a printing plant, launching email newsletters and podcasts, and expanding its reach to four Texas metros and more than 2.4 million homes.
To reflect its entire product line and continue to allow for future growth, the media company has changed its name from Community Impact Newspaper to Community Impact. This process began in early 2022 when leadership at CI completed a workshop with Jeff Hahn of Hahn Public to strategize their next innovative move. Following the workshop, CI made the decision to update its entire brand schematic, including the logo, colors, tagline, mission statement and vision statement.
"Since 2005, Community Impact has been a trusted source for local news as we have built the largest community journalism news organization in Texas,” CEO and founder John Garrett said. “Our award-winning monthly newspaper and our innovative daily digital products will be the focus of the investment Jennifer and I are making in local news for—God willing—years to come. Our team is committed to helping all Texans we serve, regardless of your socioeconomic status or political affiliation, to get news you can trust to help you connect to your community."
In an effort to produce even more local journalism, CI has already promoted 10 editorial team members since January and will add more newsroom positions in the coming months to maintain its status as the leading newsroom in the state. A portion of this growth is attributed to local CI advertisers along with CI’s reader-funded Patron program that launched in 2020. The company plans to expand with a corporate Patron program in 2023 based on similar demand.
As part of the rebrand, the company’s new tagline, News Everyone Gets, was shortened from Local. Useful. Everyone Gets It. to mirror what CI does best—simplify complex information into various news formats in a delivery method and tone accessible to anyone. Plus, CI created a new mission statement and updated its vision statement to reflect both present-day and future goals.
The new mission statement is: “Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets,” which speaks to both the editorial content and business ads that our communities love and use. The vision statement was created by all Impacters and speaks to what we hope to accomplish with each day of our work: ”Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team.”
There are no changes to the company’s purpose and values, and Community Impact is committed to living those out every day.
CI’s purpose is: “To be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other.” The company’s values, or stones that are physically awarded internally for a job well done each month are Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.
The company’s updated logo features the signature CI red and gray, but lighter, brighter and bolder. CI also incorporated a new design element—the CI Local Pin, a simple recognizable icon—into the new logo to further solidify its focus on local news and making an impact in every community it serves.
The design of the new logo more accurately reflects CI’s design philosophy, Creative Director Derek Sullivan said.
“Less is more—we always aim to keep it clear, clean and concise,” he said. “In addition, the new CI Local Pin helps us visually connect the main brand with our other internal and external initiatives. For example, the pin is part of our IRG logos (Impacter Resource Groups promoting equity, diversity and inclusion), and the pin is shifted upside down to become an ink drop in our new CI Printing logo."
Vice President of Sales and Marketing Tess Coverman said CI’s updated name speaks to the company’s robust product line and allows for continued innovation in the future.
“As new ideas come up, as long as they filter through our updated mission statement and core values, we can more easily introduce them to the Community Impact audience,” she said. “For example, hosting events is a recent request by some CI Patrons as a benefit to the community and a new revenue stream, which we might consider in 2023.”
With this brand update and newsroom expansion, CI prides itself on being the largest community journalism newsroom in the state, covering local businesses, transportation and road projects, development, health care and government.
