REBRANDING OLDHAM
SUMMARY BRAND RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS REPORT
Hemisphere Design & Marketing Consultants February 2008
1.
INTRODUCTION
“The way to achieve a better reputation is to endeavour to be what you desire to appear…”
Socrates
Hemisphere has been tasked with helping to develop a brand strategy for the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. Both the Oldham Partnership and Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council recognise that Oldham’s image is an important influencing factor in the success of its regeneration and economic development plans – indeed ongoing negative perceptions are seen as a key blockage in Oldham realising its potential. The aim of this rebranding project is therefore to arrive at a strong, positive and distinctive brand positioning for Oldham that will inform all of the borough’s communication activity across its varied partnerships, helping to reposition Oldham to its key target audiences and improving how it is perceived, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. The process of improving the image of Oldham consists of a number of key stages:
• • • •
ascertaining existing perceptions of Oldham identifying the image of Oldham we want to portray - its brand creating a means of communicating the new Oldham brand in written and visual form devising a marketing and communications strategy to convey Oldham’s new image to its target audiences
This document summarises the findings from the research and consultation process that has been undertaken in order to take a realistic look at how Oldham is currently perceived amongst stakeholders and target audiences, both inside and outside the borough. It also provides an analysis of the key values and positioning that can be utilised to articulate a vision for Oldham’s future that can resonate with the borough’s existing and potential target audiences.
CONTENTS
Research and Consultation Process Key Themes Arising Key Issues Arising Issues about the Built Environment The...