On Fire Mann enough for monumental branding task

This is a building which already carries a great deal of significance for the city and its residents.

Countryside Neptune Properties’ iconic Mann Island is getting the whole of Liverpool talking. No wonder – it’s an awe-inspiring structure in the city’s dock-side World Heritage site. And we’re thrilled to have been appointed to create the branding and marketing material for such a world-class development.

It was a tough 3-way pitch to win all the communications work for the £135 million pound development. But win we did and we’re ecstatic to be working our socks off across all channels including print, online, PR and interactive applications.

In case you’ve not been privy to the Mann Island party, the development consists of two angular edifices stunningly formed in black granite. It certainly stamps a bold mark on the world famous skyline amongst Liverpool’s Three Graces and we’re under no illusion of just what it takes to do justice to a communications project of this importance. With 376 apartments, approximately 4,760 m2 of office space, shops bars, restaurants and a public art space, it’s a mixed-use scheme that the developers see as truly connecting Liverpool’s city centre with a burgeoning and vibrant dockside scene.

Karl Lakin, our Creative Director said, ‘This is a building which already carries a great deal of significance for the city and its residents. We couldn’t be more proud to have been awarded such a prestigious project and can’t wait to develop an outstanding, engaging brand both on and offline.”

Developing the creative strategy for this type of branding project was no easy task but as always at On Fire, we endeavour to create strategies from real and tangible things or proven insight. After all, we firmly believe anyone can design something beautiful like pulling a rabbit from a hat, but if it doesn’t really mean anything, the brand will not connect with the right people in the right way.

The major stand-out aspect of Mann Island for us was its complete visual uniqueness – in Liverpool, in the UK. And whilst one of the key aims was to make this an aspirational experience, pulling the actual bricks, mortar and granite - the very shape of the structure, into the mix was important to us. In addition, Mann Island is situated on a World Heritage site – a world famous dock that was once the starting and finishing point for pioneers, emigrants and explorers. We saw our task of creating meaningful branding from the structure, the history and the aspirational aspect of Mann Island. ‘Life to a greater degree’ came to life, referring to views, angles, compass points and a yearning for something better. And referring to the proud history of this great area, the names ‘Latitude’ and ‘Longitude’ for the two main buildings were conceived, as was ‘Equator’ - the public area in the centre.

Branding of this magnitude needs to have longevity too, which is why we also wanted to create a brand that could be rolled out in many relevant ways, highlighting the key benefits of Mann Island over not just months, but years.

We look forward to working with Countryside Neptune Properties and sharing our progress with you over the coming weeks.

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