Underground quarter branding

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The first underground branding

Background

During 2019 the government of St.Petersburg had been developing city-brand without any habitants or brand-community engagement. This fact caused negative feedback from local communities. After brand release any brand-integration and materials suitable for city needs was made. Total cost of the project: 114k usd.

Idea:

To change the idea of government top-to-bottom brand integration, we gather brand strategists, designers, urbanists and local communities to create first ghetto-brand made for people. This brand must be useful, helpful and empowering local communities for further quarter improvements.

We choose one of the most sleeping quarter on the South-West of St.Petersburg, Ulyanka. It's located in Kirovsky district in St.Petersburg, next to Prospect Veteranov Metro Station. A big challenge for designers to create a brand for an area, in which nothing happens in the newsfeed.

Step-by-step realisation:

1. Analytics

For first analysis we choose "walk alone" touring with local ambassadors. To get into quarter, focus on territory, pains and character of region.

2. Brand-platform shaping

Together with strategists and designers we choose unformal name of the quarter "veterki" to be a brand name. We also shape brand hypothesis, run design-thinking sessions and made brand platform shaping. We also made headlines with local tone of voice to engage further audience.

3. Local audience engagement

We launch first edition of vetetki.org web-platform to engage locals into brand-shaping and test brand hypothesis. Got promotion in local communities social media and targeted advertising. Get in touch with local ambassadors to make expert interviews and publications.

Engagement results:

CTR - 2.1%

Web-platform lead to action: 10%

# Forms filled: 40

Total auditory engaged into branding activities: 1k

4. Brand Identity and brand assets

The goal was to made identity design based on solutions, local needs, further initiatives promotion.

Logo

fonts

Posters

Package

Local navigation and signs

Merch

5. Brand release

Second edition veterki.org, web-platform for local issue-based initiatives promotion. So anyone can publish their initiative and get support from local community. Release easy-to-use brand assets and tools made for habitants to promote initiatives and local business.

Materials are in open source and free to use.