Stockport Old Town appoints AHOY to carry out branding and web design
We’re happy to announce that we’ve been appointed to carry out the branding, design and website for Stockport Old Town. Following a competitive pitch with five other agencies, we’ve been tasked with developing an identity in keeping with the unique nature of the Old Town as well as building a responsive website that will make discovering the area as interactive and engaging as possible. The branding and design will be rolled out across all marketing collateral, including email, direct marketing and print materials.
The brief was to create a brand identity that stepped away from the traditional, historical perception of Stockport town towards something more contemporary and forward thinking. It was this focus on innovation and change that originally won the ‘Portas Pilot’ funding and the brand identity put forward by AHOY adheres to this vision. Selected by Stockport’s Portas Pilot Delivery Group, we were the unanimous choice.
Comprising simple geometric shapes inspired by significant buildings within the town – including Robinson’s Brewery, The Plaza and Stockport Market – the logo has been designed to create something fresh, bold and confident while championing the richness and variety of culture that the town can boast.
The responsive website will act as a central hub that promotes events happening in the Old Town, showcasing traders and sharing news about the area. Retailers will be able to upload news, product updates and contact details via a tiered administration system that is simple to use. The site will also provide guides and information targeted at retailers considering bringing business to the Old Town, with the diverse range of content portraying a strong sense of community and strengthening the central message of ‘something for everyone.’
Joe Barratt, organiser of The Teenage Market and member of Stockport’s Portas Pilot team, said, “Creating a strong brand and innovative website for Stockport Old Town is so vital when it comes to promoting the area as a destination to visit. Mark and the team at AHOY completely understood what we were trying to achieve with our vision for Stockport Old Town, in that we wanted it to be bold, innovative and forward-thinking, and I can’t wait for it to all come together.”
Matthew Kershaw, of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Chair of Stockport’s Portas Pilot team, said, “It’s great that all the independent traders in Stockport Old Town now have a free online platform to promote their businesses. Ahoy’s pitch fitted perfectly with what the group wanted and we’re looking forward to working with them and the traders to produce a site that looks great and has excellent content.’’