Creating places with personality Andy Spracklen MRTPI FRSA Founding Director, Urban8
Creating places with personality
Andy Spracklen MRTPI FRSAFounding Director, Urban8
what is branding?definition
purposeelements
benefits
“ a name, sign or symbol used to identify items or services of the
seller(s) and to differentiate them from goods of competitors.”
The Dictionary of Business and Management
“A set of assets (or liabilities) linked to a brand's name and symbol that adds
to (or subtracts from) the value provided by a product or service…”
David Aaker in ‘Building Strong Brands’
“Delivery on a promise” John Till, Hull Cityimage
purpose
• Creates identity• Communicates values• Changes perceptions• Competes for attention• Champions…
elements
• Brand• Brand essence• Brand values• Other elements• Brand strategy
benefits
• Shapes assumptions• Shapes the market• Shapes identity• Shapes people• Shapes places• Shapes value
getting started
researchstorytelling
communication
research
• Brand audiences• Brand geography• Brand politics
storytelling
• Embedded• Imagination• Differentiation• Consistency• Layering
communication
• Consistency• Ownership• Concise• Clear• Differentiated• Delivery
city branding
Central idea
BehaviourCommunications
EnvironmentProduct & services
area & site regeneration
Delight!
Dwell.
Grow...
West Midlands
Global• Diversity• World class
Connected• People• Technology
North Staffordshire
Creative• Design• Innovation
Green• Pride• Sustainable
Newcastle
Festival• Distinctive• Culture
Market• Place• Enterprise
Strategic positioning
VISIBLE CHANGE
VISION
SOFTWARE
HARDWARE
Market placeheart of community, trade & food
Festivals & eventsdriver of cultural development & active lifestyles
Green economystrategic catalyst for innovation & rebranding
Creating an international exemplar of a distinctive 21st century market townPillar 1:
Remakin
g Re
tail
•A town centre to delight in•Getting the fundamentals and ‘core business’ right•Focuses on town centre
Pillar 2: To
wn &
Culture
•A town centre to dwell in:•Creating reasons and spaces to be in•Extends focus to town & borough
Pillar 3: Gree
n A
mbiti
on
•A town centre to grow in:•Establishing a resilient & sustainable centre equipped for the new economy•Extends focus to sub-region
PARTNERSHIP & BALANCE
Newcastle-under-Lyme: A Festival Market
Town
Creativity
Marketing
TechnologyInnovation
Sustainability
The festival market town?
Let’s get on with it!
Headlines: top stories
•Limited numbers of ‘family forming’ ages
Key proposition #2
• Benwell and Scotswood must retain and attract new and greater diversity of people, particularly families
• Objective to create a series of attractive, popular and distinctive neighbourhoods capable of creating mixed and inclusive communities by retaining and attracting a diversity of people
• Key options: should different parts of the area have different identities and ‘offers’, or should we create a mix throughout the area?
• Key research and testing: character/identity/branding analysis and sustainability appraisal/benchmarking
key lessons
• Communication, communication, communication
• The art of storytelling• Creative thinking• Different perspectives• Culture
practical ideas
• Brand boards• Get out• Read widely• Observe• ‘Steal’ ideas• Use different media• Change your outlook• Move desk• 80/20 principle
• Be principled• Experiment• Be spontaneous• STOP• Comic strips• Spider diagrams• Use your friends• Follow-through• Record well
sum up
key messages
• Vision & promise• Personality & identity• Imagination & research• Deliver & change• Increasing value
Process as important as the product
• Vision and optioneering – align issues– Distinctiveness and strategic positioning leading to clear set of
principles and guidelines with ‘strategic fit’
• Test deliverability thoroughly – planning, market, engineering, financial, etc.– Implementation strategy and mechanisms
Communication is key
• Consistent personnel and clarity of roles and responsibilities
• Commitment and leadership – both at Officer and Member level
• Expectations managed; process/timescales clear• Multi-disciplinary approach – masterplanning
and Development Control staff working together• Holistic plan built upon consensus and
ownership
The right behaviours
• Collaboration and non-adversarial• Holding nerve• Leadership• Decisiveness• The long view
Efficient leadership
• New delivery models• Programme management• Internal coordination• External coordination• Decision-making process• Communications and marketing
Deliverability is key• Be clear about your objectives, the goals of stakeholders and
needs of residents• Robust evidence base and appraisal of physical, economic, cultural
and social issues• ‘Holistic’ approach to deliver high quality design at all levels• Prepare a sound commercial brief based on the market• Test and deliver financial viability• Future-proofing and flexibility• Create a detailed action plan, phasing plan and timetable• Prepare a sustainable development framework• Implement through the planning system
Keys to success
1. Commercial awareness of viability2. Communication between all stakeholders3. Clarity of policy and process4. Consistency of expectation and requirements5. Certainty of purpose and will6. Coherence of argument and strategic fit7. Creativity of personnel and funding8. Character of place...Collaboration is the watchword