Co-creating a destination – the Northbank

A central plank of every placemaking PR strategy is a strong narrative - the golden thread that binds every activity and announcement to create joined-up stories about the area…but beyond that, how you involve, engage and co-create with those who live, work and visit the area has a more long-lasting impact beyond the fanfare and media coverage.

Anthony developed a winning proposal for the Northbank Business Improvement District (BID) to co-create the ‘Northbank Nation’ by driving forward narratives about the area as a place that is not superimposed by the BID or anyone else but shaped and co-created with people who have a connection to the area.

The challenge was to transform the Northbank as a forgotten gem with the area not recognised as a coherent ‘place’ in its own right.

Dialogic communications to create or rejuvenate areas must put co-creation at the heart of everything including contests, funding programmes and competitions to co-produce the new area’s artefacts and identify. Otherwise, it has no authenticity and no sense of shared ownership with the place gaining different and disjointed identities.

Results

We achieved high levels of engagement in the community and achieved coverage in the Evening Standard, the Financial Times and ES Magazine.