PDDG Design Notes – April 2026

ISSUE 075

April 2026

Innovation, Impact, and What's New at PDDG

April has been a notable month for brand evolution. In April 1977, Apple Inc. introduced its iconic rainbow apple logo, a design that helped humanize technology and made personal computing feel a little less intimidating, and a lot more colorful. Designed by Rob Janoff to replace a more complex 1976 sketch, the simplified silhouette made the brand more approachable while also highlighting the Apple II’s color display capabilities.

It is a good reminder that even the most recognizable brands did not start out as icons. They started with bold ideas, thoughtful design, and a willingness to stand out, even if it meant adding a little color outside the lines.

At PDDG, we believe great branding works the same way. It combines strong design with purpose, creating something memorable, meaningful, and built to connect.

Photo courtesy of Forbes.com.

Suffolk Tourism Unveils 2026 Good Time Guide

In 2026, we are celebrating eight years since our first project with the City of Suffolk, Virginia. Over nearly a decade of partnership, we have supported the city’s marketing and outreach for economic development, tourism, public safety, utilities, and general media and communications.

Recently, we completed a comprehensive refresh of the Good Time Guide, an oversized foldout brochure highlighting Suffolk’s many tourist attractions and amenities. Our creative team had previously developed two earlier editions of the Guide, and it was time once again to update and enhance the brochure for the new year.

We performed a full visual refresh of the overall look and feel, along with design and content improvements to the listings and attractions map. The new Guide now better aligns with the tourism website, also designed and maintained by our team.

Click here to view the 2026 Good Time Guide.

CWP Launches New Website Experience

Capital Workforce Partners (CWP), a PDDG client partner since 2018, has enlisted our team over the years on a wide variety of projects, including branding, graphic design, website design, and social media management.

Our first project for CWP included a brand refresh and launch of a new website. A few years later, we deployed a mid-cycle website refresh. In late 2025, we started the process with CWP to develop a completely new, modernized website experience, with a more focused message on the workforce board's role in supporting local job seeker and employer programs and initiatives.

Over the past several months, in close partnership with the CWP communications team, we have been designing and testing a fresh website user experience, including a fully revamped main menu and site structure, improved accessibility, more vibrant imagery with a more natural content flow in a modernized page layout, and the deployment of updated website tools and resources.

Click here to view the new CWP website.

PDDG + LCJJC Celebrate 5 Years

The Lake County Juvenile Justice Council (LCJJC) joined the PDDG Team in late 2021. LCJJC is a consortium of individuals, county officials, and representatives of community-based agencies addressing issues related to juvenile delinquency in Lake County, Illinois.

In the first few months of partnering with LCJJC, our creative team developed a logo, branded stationery templates, informational outreach collateral, and the organization’s first-ever website. In the Spring of 2022, we developed outreach collateral and promotional materials for the inaugural Spring Seminar, a one-day event that brought together industry experts to discuss relevant juvenile justice topics.

This month marks five years since our initial engagement with LCJJC and four years since the first Spring Seminar. In preparation for this year’s Seminar, we have developed new outreach collateral for an expanded program and added additional relevant content and resources to the LCJJC website.

Click here to learn more about this important event.

USDOJ Extends ADA Website Accessibility Compliance Timeline

The U.S. Department of Justice has issued an interim rule pushing back the compliance deadlines for ADA website and mobile app accessibility requirements affecting state and local governments. Jurisdictions with populations of 50,000 or more now have until April 26, 2027 (instead of April 2026), while smaller jurisdictions and special districts have until April 26, 2028 (instead of April 2027) to meet the requirements.

This extension allows additional time to address challenges related to resources, staffing, and technology, but the obligation to provide accessible digital services remains unchanged.

Our agency has been actively working with our municipal client partners over the past year to ensure compliance with all accessibility requirements for website and mobile app products and will continue to do so as we work toward the extended deadline.

Click here to learn more.

Photo courtesy of the USDOJ.

Joby Reimagines Urban Air Travel

Innovation in transportation is taking flight through the work of Joby Aviation, Inc., a California-based company developing all-electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Designed to be fast, quiet, and efficient, Joby’s air taxis aim to transform how people move through some of the world’s most congested cities.

That vision is already becoming reality. In 2026, Joby completed the first-ever point-to-point eVTOL air taxi demonstration flights in New York City, showcasing how a trip that typically takes up to two hours by car could be reduced to just minutes by air. Through partnerships with Delta Air Lines and Uber, the company is working toward a seamless travel experience that connects ground transportation and air travel into a single journey.

As part of this forward momentum, Joby is also investing in the future workforce. Through partnerships with Workforce Santa Cruz County and Monterey County Works, both valued PDDG clients, the company is helping create internship and training opportunities that prepare the next generation for careers in aviation manufacturing.

Click here to learn more.

Photo courtesy of Good Morning America/NBC Network,

April 27, 2026.

IEDC Releases 2026 #EconDevWeek Toolkit

Since 2016, IEDC’s Economic Development Week has been a time to celebrate the incredible impact that economic development organizations and professionals have in their communities. This year is the centennial anniversary of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and the celebration of 100 years of economic development, including recognizing the collaborations that drive innovation, growth, and lasting change in local economies, and writing the next chapter of economic opportunity across the globe.

Over the past decade, #EconDevWeek has become a widely recognized celebration of economic development efforts, amplifying the critical work of the profession through media coverage and millions of social media impressions.

PDDG proudly supports IEDC and the entire economic development profession via our long-standing partnership with EDOs across the U.S. Join us and IEDC in highlighting transformative efforts that have made a difference to the profession and industry.

Click here to learn more and to access the IEDC 2026 #EconDevWeek Toolkit.

Photo courtesy of IEDC.

Suffolk Selects Kevin Hughes as City Manager

The Suffolk City Council appointed Kevin Hughes as City Manager on March 5, 2026, following the retirement of Al Moor. Hughes had served as Deputy City Manager since 2020. He began his career with the City of Suffolk in 2005 in the Economic Development Department and was promoted to Director in 2010.

In addition to his municipal experience, Hughes has a background in project management within the direct marketing industry, as well as research and marketing roles with the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance.

Kevin and the City of Suffolk have been a PDDG client partner since 2018. Over the past several years, we have collaborated on numerous marketing projects for economic development, tourism, recreation, emergency services, library, and more.

Click here to learn more.

Photo courtesy of City of Suffolk.

PDDG Welcomes Waco Housing Authority to the Family

PDDG is pleased to welcome Waco Housing Authority & Affiliates as a new client, beginning with the development of a Community Impact Report that will highlight the organization’s work across Waco and McLennan County.

Waco Housing Authority is committed to providing safe, quality, and affordable housing while expanding opportunities for residents to thrive. Through programs such as public housing operations and rental assistance, the organization serves thousands of income-eligible families and continues to play a vital role in strengthening the community.

PDDG looks forward to partnering with Waco Housing Authority to tell their story, highlighting the impact of their programs, the strength of their residents, and the meaningful work being done every day to build stability and create opportunity.

Click here to learn more about the Waco Housing Authority.

Photo courtesy of Waco Housing Authority.

City of Apache Junction Joins PDDG Family

We are thrilled to welcome the City of Apache Junction, Arizona, to the PDDG Family! Our first assignment will be supporting the marketing communications needs of the city’s Economic Development Department.

As we continue expanding our reach throughout the Phoenix Metro Area and the State of Arizona, we are grateful for the continued trust placed in our team in support of local economic development, tourism, and related efforts. We look forward to our new partnership with the City of Apache Junction.

Photo courtesy of the City of Apache Junction.

AAED Announces 2026 EDDE Award Winners

The Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) presented its annual Economic Development Distinguished by Excellence (EDDE) Awards during its Spring Conference at the El Conquistador Resort in Oro Valley, Arizona. The EDDE Awards honor the best economic development practices by individuals, organizations, and companies that have significantly contributed to the state’s economic growth. Recipients are selected from a pool of nominations submitted by AAED members.

We’re thrilled to see so many PDDG client partners and friends among the list of winners. PDDG is a proud AAED member and longtime supporter/sponsor of the organization.

Click here to view the full list of winners.

Photo courtesy of AAED.