Monday, February 14, 2011

Redfern Brand

Over the past few years, Redfern has had special attention from the City of Sydney as it has worked to foster improvement in the area. Major infrastructure upgrades to the park, oval and  main street, and new artworks have been an important catalyst for change.

Environmetrics has supported this on-going work by carrying out social research studies that captured visitor profiles and the perceptions of locals, visitors and potential visitors.

As a support for the fresh new streets and parks, and to communicate to the wider world that Redfern is changing, Frost Design were commissioned to develop a graphic identity, a visual brand, for the Redfern/Waterloo area. Here is the new brand that was launched last week.



The image will be used on street banners and communications that promote events and activities in the local area. And there are tee-shirts, caps, etc. available at the Rabbitohs shop in Redfern.

Can you see the brand image as a smile? The idea behind the image is to represent a smiling welcome. There were certainly plenty of smiles at the launch.

Clover Moore and Kristina Keneally show off the merchandise.

I think that the brand also alludes to Redfern's industrial heritage, especially the railway. It's certainly a strong image.

Cat Burgess, strategic director of Frost, said: “Our idea came down to the need to capture a ‘welcoming spirit’ that encourages people to come to Redfern and the surrounding areas of Waterloo, Darlington and Eveleigh to discover all the area has to offer. This was based on the insight that people’s perceptions of Redfern change significantly once they visit, but many currently don’t find it inviting due to outdated beliefs about the area. The idea of welcoming is also deeply connected to the rich indigenous history of Redfern and traditions of 'welcoming to country'."

These insights came from the research we carried out. Our research into perceptions, values, barriers and opportunities can underpin the strategy behind brand development.

Posted by Gillian Savage