Sefton Council - Commercial Brand Development

Sefton Council covers the northern borough of Liverpool City Region. Sefton has more than 273,000 residents with towns including Bootle, Crosby, Maghull, Formby and Southport.

Boasting 22 miles of coast, from the Port of Liverpool, Antony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’ artwork, beaches and dunes, business parks in Bootle to the resort town of Southport, Sefton is a unique mix of urban and natural setting and a leading coastal tourist destination

Following rising cuts from central government, Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council increasingly has begun to operate in a commercial space in order to create new revenue streams and additional revenue through taxation, that will allow us to continue delivering essential services in the future In 2017, the Council acquired the Strand Shopping Centre located in the heart of Bootle. Not only will this acquisition act as a catalyst for the regeneration of Bootle Town Centre, creating economic and social impact, it will also bring net new revenue to the Council to pay for important services to our residents.

In addition to this, Sefton Council has established a wholly owned housing development company that will function predominantly on a for-profit basis, contributing to the housing needs of the borough, possibly also supporting additional Council housing priorities across the Borough. The perceived corporate structure will include a parent company (Housing DevCo.) and various subsidiaries (e.g. Rent Co., Sale Co.) that must have complementary visual identity systems.
The Council has adopted a new enterprise approach to many of its services by offering existing services to new markets and creating new products for existing and new markets.

The Council recognises that expanding its commercial activity and operating against competitors in market conditions will require a different branding approach and marketing strategy. This will entail understanding how our brand strategy and position will function against the expectations and aspiration of residents, local businesses, and potential partners.

Sefton Council has high ambitions for its commercial activity, so requires a brand foundation that will be future-proof and versatile.