HGA Creative Communications

Understand

We’ve recently had the pleasure of directing a fully integrated campaign for a fantastic new project with Wirral Partnership Homes. Our Design Team were originally approached by the not-for-profit, housing provider to help with the design and promotion of a community photography competition held in West Kirby. Work produced from the competition would adorn the hoardings of a new, high-quality £10 million housing development scheme for the area, which also included a brand new NHS Health Centre and 58 homes. It was important that the community backed the project whilst the planning permission remained in deliberation with the local council.

The area has a history of negative publicity around new developments; therefore it was essential that our work helped to address these issues. 

Engage

In addition to the photography project, we recommended a new brand for the development be created to encourage a positive reaction amongst the community and press. The logo uses stylized leaves with people inside and natural colours to symbolise community and help dispel concerns about environmental impact.

The branding was used across a number of communications, from direct mail campaigns to advertising at community events and also online. To ensure the smooth running of the competition, a website where users could upload their images and vote on others was created. This also allowed for news stories and information about the development to be shared with the local community and press.

We also delivered the grand unveiling of the hoardings and an award ceremony for the photography competition winners.  The event had a great turn out, with members of the community flocking to attend, alongside council members and MP, Esther McVey. All of the action was captured and edited into a short film by our Film & Video team, which will be used to help secure planning permission for future projects.

Deliver

Aside from the hugely successful website with 250 uploads in just three weeks and a fantastic event, we thought we’d let the client speak for themselves as to the success of the project. Steve Eaves, Wirral Partnership Homes Regeneration and Development Manager said: "We appointed Thorne PR and HGA Creative in September 2011 to give us urgent PR and media advice and support over a difficult housing and health development project in a very politically sensitive area, working with numerous housing, health and Local Authority partners. Both teams immediately hit the ground running, setting up the risk register, key messages, press releases, microsite, branding, leaflets that were sent out to 20,000 residents, engaging local residents with an Art Workshop for young people and a photo competition to decorate the site hoardings - the list goes on."