Sheffield inspires
Always has. Always will.
Capturing the soul of the city
Sheffield has a huge ambition – to be a top five UK city to live, work or visit.
They want to be relevant to new and diverse audiences and be known for much more than people would expect. We wanted to lift the lid on what’s happening in the city today and how it drives their reputation externally.
A city with a strong beating heart. Sheffield has so many dimensions – promising dramatic combinations of urban and green, innovation and culture, work and play. We let the light in on its rich history, community spirit and ambitious future to create ‘Sheffield inspires. Always has. Always will.’ – a simple, powerful story.
It’s a bold idea that unifies all communications and behaviours that is creating a shift in perception for a diverse range of key audiences: tourism, talent, trade and also locals.
To complement the existing visual identity, we developed the ‘inspires icon’ to act as a hallmark of inspiration. We’re developing a range of applications to bring the idea to life. Used sparingly at points of genuine inspiration, it encourages people to look twice at what Sheffield has to offer.
And as a nod to Sheffield’s history, we use Big Caslon Black as the key messaging typeface, established by font founders John Stephenson and James Blake in Sheffield in 1818. Adding a touch of the city’s own creative, innovative flare to their visual system to spark curiosity.
Sheffield inspires. Always has. Always will.
See how the Marketing Sheffield team are bringing the ‘Sheffield inspires’ story to life on their website.
Outcome
‘Sheffield inspires’ has given us exactly the right ingredients for what Sheffield needs. A positioning we can externalise and a driver for future activity in the city’s ambitions.
Mark Mobbs, Placebrand and Marketing Lead
More projects
