Oslo municipality needs to develop and implement a new visual profile with the accompanying design hand book. The need arises from the main aim of the new communication strategy; Oslo municipality shall be an open, democratic and unbureaucratic municipality with a lot of trust between inhabitants and the municipality.

A prerequisite for achieving this aim, is uniform, professional and modern communication with inhabitants, own employees and other prioritised target groups. Uniform, professional and modern are guidelines that apply to all communication; written, oral and visual.

The Communication Section at the City Council Manager's office carried out a comprehensive review in autumn/winter 2015/2016 on the communication work in Oslo. The review ended with a report; Communication as a strategic resource — Founding document on the way to a new general communication strategy and a new, total visual profile for Oslo municipality, 2016 — 2018. The report concluded that Oslo municipality appears as very fragmented in visual communication with inhabitants. More than 150 different logos have been identified in the municipality and many agencies operate with their own visual profiles.