Voluntary Action South West Surrey (VASWS), a local Surrey charity, approached PP8 Marketing to help them market the launch of a new service called Community Point, which aims to prevent loneliness and social isolation by connecting people with social activities, services, and volunteering opportunities in their local area. This service is free to residents within the Boroughs of Guildford and Waverley.
Objective:
Having won funding from a Lottery Grant, the VASW team were keen for Community Point to have its own brand identity and marketing promotional tools.
Funds were limited and the Charity was unlikely to receive further funding for additional marketing materials post launch. The in-house team of volunteers, who were not marketers or creatives and needed an evergreen design and marketing tool set which they could easily adapt for future marketing campaigns.
Strategic Initiatives:
- Brand and Service Promotion: PP8 Marketing conducted a comprehensive brand audit to understand VASWS’s current positioning and how the new service would sit alongside the existing brand. We collaborated with their team to create a strong brand identity for Community Point, ensuring it resonated with the local community and clearly communicated its mission and benefits.
- Design and Branding: PP8 Marketing selected and briefed a graphic design agency to create and present a variety of design assets. Paula Parker, PP8’s Director, then helped VASWS choose the appropriate logo, fonts, imagery, and strapline.
- Marketing Plan: PP8 developed a comprehensive marketing plan to include assets which the team could easily adapt and tailor to future events and campaigns. Working with the graphic designer we created an initial set of marketing materials for the launch, including a leaflet, pop-up flags for events, website page, and the re-design of the new shop front, as well as a promotional sandwich board. To support future campaigns for Community Points services, we designed a suite of easy-to-use branded templates.
Results:
- Successful Service Launch: Community Point was successfully launched, receiving a positive response from the local community and significant initial sign-ups.
- Enhanced Brand Identity: The new brand identity for Community Point resonated well with the community, resulting in increased awareness and interest.
- Increased Community Engagement: The clear and compelling branding and promotional materials led to a significant rise in awareness and participation.
Conclusion: The collaboration between Voluntary Action South West Surrey and PP8 Marketing showcases the critical role of strategic branding and targeted promotion in successfully launching new services. By creating a compelling brand identity and effectively communicating the mission and benefits of Community Point, VASWS was able to engage the community, increase awareness, and drive participation. This partnership set a strong foundation for VASWS to continue its impactful work in preventing loneliness and social isolation within the local Surrey community.
Paula worked with us on the launch of a new service called ‘Community Point’ in 2019. Community Point aims to help prevent loneliness and/or social isolation by making it easier for people to link in with existing social activities, services and volunteering opportunities in their local area. The service is free to residents within the Boroughs of Guildford and Waverley.
Paula helped us rebrand the Volunteer Centre. Paula’s work gave us a consistent brand look and feel which has helped us reach many different people across both Boroughs.
Carol Dunnett, Chief Officer, Voluntary Action South West Surrey
