One of Dick Bruna’s best-known designs for the city of Utrecht is the ‘Stad naar mijn hart’ logo (English: A city close to my heart). It is still in use today and comes in several variations.
Bruna created the design in 1986 to promote the city—a new phenomenon. It was intended to promote the city of Utrecht to residents and visitors alike.
The municipality launched a competition for it. The logo was intended to make the city more attractive, draw more residents and visitors, and thereby strengthen the economy. Together with high-quality printing company Van Rossum, Bruna submitted this poster.
The promotional campaign was a great success. Mayor Lien Vos-van Gortel honoured Dick Bruna with an engraved silver city medal: ‘with illustrious imagination, he elevated the city to a higher level.’
The logo was also used for a time on ties, which the Municipality of Utrecht gave away as corporate gifts.
In 1992, Mayor Vos-van Gortel stepped down. Bruna then designed a thank-you card as a variation on the logo: the Dom Tower as a hat on the mayor’s head.
When Mayor Annie Brouwer bid farewell to the city in 2007, Dick Bruna once again designed the farewell card: Thank you, Annie!, again featuring the Dom Tower as a hat.
Until 2025, parents in Utrecht received a baby vest featuring Dick Bruna's logo when their child was born.
The logo was also visible on the streets for a long time, for instance on top of signposts that guided residents and day-trippers around the city.
When young people in Utrecht have done something special for the city they may receive a youth award: a silver pin featuring Bruna's City close to my heart logo.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a variation on Bruna's poster was created. The poster 'Utrecht, take good care of each other' conveyed a positive message of hope and connection.
The poster resonated with people and could be seen all over the city — in windows, shops and hospitality venues.
