ORB Creative goes green with Birmingham Energy Savers

Branding agency ORB Creative has teamed up with Be Birmingham to help deliver a new five-year project to improve energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in housing and small business premises across the city.

Originally called ‘Green New Deal’, the energy-saving initiative aims to provide the co-ordination, infrastructure and enhanced scale to ensure that investment in retrofitting of houses and businesses in Birmingham is maximised. The scheme was developed by Be Birmingham, the local strategic partnership that brings together partners from across the city to deliver a better quality of life for residents and businesses.

Following a competitive pitch, Birmingham-based ORB Creative was contracted to deliver a clearer marketing strategy for the project, identifying the brand and its aims. As part of this, ORB carried out brand workshops to thoroughly audit the project and develop a clearer strategy. After consultation with Birmingham City Council, Be Birmingham and other Partner Organisations, ORB devised the new brand ‘Birmingham Energy Savers’, which aims to connect and engage with a wide range of audiences across the city.

Robert Bloxham, Managing Director at ORB Creative, said:

“We approached the project brief with a view to developing a brand that the residents and business-owners of Birmingham could connect with. After consultation with the project team and residents, we began by identifying the underlying values of the project and then, through our Drawing Board sessions, were able to outline exactly how it can connect to the residents and business owners of the city.

“The work we have done with the Project Team is a critical part of the overall project activity, as we need to ensure that the message is succinct across all communication. After a number of planning meetings, we have developed the Birmingham Energy Savers brand, which captures the essence of this fantastic environmental project that is sure to have a real affect on the city across the five years.” 

ORB Creative now continues to work with the project to roll out the new brand and strategy for its initial phases. This will see a number of measures brought to target areas across the city from now, through 2012 and beyond.

Chandra Quarshie from Be Birmingham said:

“When we developed this project, we knew the importance of creating the right brand and delivering it in the right way. After meeting with a number of agencies we felt that ORB Creative’s approach was the right direction for us. We’re really happy with the results and are looking forward to moving Birmingham Energy Savers forward, helping to improve energy efficiency and renewable energy sources across Birmingham. The overall aim of the project is to impact on job creation and business expansion, as well as reduce CO2 emissions and tackle fuel poverty.”

Dave Allport, Programme Manager for Birmingham Energy Savers, said:

“Since its inception, the brand has continued to grow. The initial pilot phase of the project has already generated in excess of 10,000 kW hours of electricity, bringing immediate benefits to residents and businesses within Birmingham.”

For further information please call 0800 512 012 or look at the website at www.birminghamenergysavers.org.uk.

This project-win comes as ORB Creative celebrates its six year anniversary. Birmingham Energy Savers joins the Jewellery Quarter-based agency’s client base, which already includes NHS West Midlands, Lantra – Skills Council, Children Hospices UK, Birmingham City Council and Aston Business School. For more information, visit www.orbcreative.com.

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