New marketing brand for Rugby town centre

The new brand materials, incorporating the copy line "the Rugby town" and strapline "find yourself here", will be used to distinguish Rugby town centre to visitors and shoppers, independently of any business or organisation.

Its launch has been timed to coincide with the opening of the World Rugby Hall of Fame, with its first public appearance at the World Rugby conference and exhibition in London earlier this week (14 and 15 November).

The Rugby town brand, put together by a creative communications consultancy on behalf of the borough council, features a strong logo, bright colours and a wraparound device featuring town centre street names. It recognises that Rugby is famous for innovation, and especially the birth of rugby football, while the "find yourself here" strapline reinforces the message that there is something for everyone in Rugby town centre.

The new brand will be introduced in phases with social media and advertising campaigns starting in the run up to Christmas, and a new mobile friendly website following next year.

The new campaigns, designed and directed by Cole Creative Communications, feature striking images, including town centre personalities in intriguing poses captured by town centre based photographer Jamie Gray.

The brand and marketing strategy are a key part of the borough council's town centre action plan, which also includes a review of the physical environment, more diverse use of town centre buildings, which is included in the publication draft Local Plan, and creation of a destination management partnership to boost the visitor economy.

Cllr Heather Timms, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for growth and investment, said: "I regularly hear from town centre shopkeepers and the need for a joined up marketing strategy for the town centre has featured regularly in these communications.

The new town centre promotional branding will unify past marketing initiatives used to promote Rugby as a visitor destination and for shopping. It will present the town centre clearly and with confidence, highlighting the very best that the town has to offer.

"With the World Rugby Hall of Fame opening this week, I'm delighted that we have been able to launch this brand in time to appeal to the visitors who it will attract."

Aftab Gaffar of Rugby First, said: "“The town is currently going through a difficult period and I am really pleased to see the council taking forward one of the key initiatives identified in the town centre action plan.

"Any support that can boost the town centre image, raise its profile and help create a positive and vibrant high street will be welcomed by businesses.

The new branding highlights the importance of working in partnership and will enable many of our exciting projects, festival and marketing campaigns to be delivered under one recognisable town centre brand.

"I am confident with the new brand and the Hall of Fame that existing businesses will benefit and more new businesses will be attracted helping to reduce town centre vacancy levels.”

Rob Cole, Creative Director responsible for the new branding, said: “Branding Rugby town centre is about a unified and coordinated approach to delivering a positive experience for people visiting the town be it for shopping, business or leisure.

"Our work has involved talking to a cross section of the towns retailers, many of whom are passionate about the sustainability of the town centre.

"The new brand will give them a voice and a platform to promote the towns unique offer to a local, national and international audience."

Jamie Gray, the freelance photographer who shot the town centre personalities used in the campaign, said: "I am proud as a photographer and a Rugby town centre resident to contribute to a campaign which celebrates the unique personality of the town of Rugby.

"The people we photographed are local residents and business owners, who contribute to a way of life in this town, a way of life which I hope will be discovered as visitors explore the charm and culture Rugby has to offer."

Residents, visitors and businesses can follow the new social media campaigns at twitter.com/therugbytown, facebook.com/therugbytownuk and instagram.com/therugbytown.