Regeneration Branding
Places have always had strong brand identities. Countries, regions, cities and towns have tangible and intangible attributes which amount to exactly this. These are invariably very deeply rooted in the geographical, architectural, historical, social, cultural and commercial realities of a place but it is a mistake to assume that this means places cannot be developed and communicated in order to change the perception of both external and internal audiences.
Consider the rebranding of Cornwall, one of the UK’s most famous holiday destinations in recent years: gone is the image of bucket and spade holidays and caravan parks – Cornwall is now widely regarded as a fashionable destination of choice. Or look at how Bilbao transformed its derelict docks area into a thriving business district; or closer to home, how Bristol Harbourside, formerly Bristol Docks, is now synonymous with entertainment and culture, not to mention home to some key creative businesses.
Good branding can prove to be fundamental to the success of a regeneration project, whether an entire place or specific area or building. And while it takes time, effort and commitment, the rewards can be remarkable.
Ten things to bear in mind
Work from the inside out. Regeneration brand building is about community confidence and local vision first, and external audience perception second.
Co-create. Don’t just engage communities, involve them every step of the way. Engagement should be far more than asking people what they want of how they feel – it is about taking them on a journey of change.
Get a perspective. Make sure brand research looks at the perception of place from the points of view of all important external audiences.
Hand over the tools. Once vision, values and visual tools have been developed make sure they are disseminated widely. Every school and corner shop is a potential brand advocate.
Have a strong visual brand. Harness the power of design to convey your new and inspiring brand messages in your logo, images, colours, choice of fonts and design concepts.
Icon-build. Pictures are as powerful as logos, so put specific strategies in place to ensure that photos are telling the right stories.
Think online. External audiences will find out online first – which means you need a complete online strategy, not just a website.
Be patient. After all, Rome wasn’t branded in a day.
Embrace constant change. Branding is not a once-and-for-all task, and regeneration is a particularly dynamic context.
Measure success. Be clear about criteria, set metrics and carry out pre and post brand research to make sure you have invested wisely.
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Phil has recently published an article on Branding for Regeneration in New Start magazine.
