Crewe Placebrand
The solution: Crewe’s internal stakeholders said it has a lot going for it, but the community didn’t share that sentiment. This place brand needed to dig deep to uncover honest storytelling that would resonate with locals and spark inspiration from the inside out. Businesses and community members needed to be taken on a journey to rediscover what’s special about Crewe beyond stories of an industrious past.
The result: the most important objective this place brand achieved was igniting excitement with local stakeholders. The brand strategy and accompanying visual identity focused on Crewe as a town of self-starters, spurring on decision-makers to invest in regeneration, skills and innovation.
The challenge: use a wide range of research and engagement methodologies to uncover a future-facing strategy for a railway heritage town that locals often feel has been forgotten.
Mockup displaying a brand slogan
WE ARE PEOPLE-POWERED
The people of Crewe built our town from the ground up. We made this place what it is – and we continue to play a part in its future. We are proud of our industrial heritage and continue that legacy, using our skills to forge quality in Crewe, with strengths in manufacturing, industry, digital and creativity. Through hard work, we are creating a place of celebrated businesses, skilled people and a self-starting attitude.
Team: HemingwayDesign + CTConsults
Year: 2020
Client: Chesire East Council
Snippet from brand narrative
My Role: Strategic lead, community and stakeholder engagement, analysis, narrative copywriting.