Image Credit : SAAS Exclusive Images
Project Overview
The Creative Fringe is a dynamic and inspiring co-working space that houses a syndicate of world-class creatives.
Their goal is to inspire, amaze, push the boundaries of conventional thinking and deliver innovative and creative solutions.
Our brand strategy around the development and marketing of this co-working creative space has been to harness the brand personality of The Explorer which expresses independence, self direction and finding freedom. We have a very strong online marketing strategy that is followed through from social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube), coupled with a fortnightly blog and a fortnightly EDM - all linking back to the website.
Our strategic use of colour in the brand development, echos multi facets of the creative industry to coming together to form one whole. The concept is to promote world-class creatives in Western Sydney, ready to design, write, market, support and inspire your business.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Debbie O'Connor - Creative Director
James Scott - Graphic Designer
Kirsty Pascoe - Graphic Designer
Nadia Kerr - Web Developer
Melinda Leyshon - Copy Writer - Write Copy
Shirley Gavin - Interior Designer - Nepean Inner Designs
Project Brief
Our client is the first of their kind to set up a co-working space in Penrith, Western Sydney. They are thought leaders in this area and are not scared to push the boundaries. In fact, when they first talked about their ideas, they were told that they were too forward thinking!
The Creative Fringe is a space in which individuals or teams can come to collaborate and work together. Its aim is to be THE destination in Sydney's West for world class creatives, so every part of the brand and its experience needs to inspire and amaze while at the same time be approachable and inclusive.
Our brief was to create a brand that would be inspiring and transformative in nature. They wanted something that would have a connection to Penrith yet resemble inner city design. A big focus was on the brand experience from print, to digital, to experiencing the interior of the warehouse.
The Creative Fringe goal is to harness the collective energy of creatives and encourage communication, collaboration and innovation. They believe in an open-source mindset – if there is superior technology available, or a cooler way to do something, they embrace it.
Project Innovation/Need
The innovation for this project is the fact that it is the first creative co-working space of its kind in Penrith. It has been designed and conceptualised on inner city design and thinking. Everyone that comes into the space verbalises their amazement and surprise as it is completely different to anything seen in this area before.
The space that has been transformed was previously a mechanic workshop. It was dirty and greasy and lacked any form of personality or enticement to enter. We needed to marry the brand personality concept with both the visual design, interior design and the brand experience.
Based on the Brand Personality of The Explorer, our focus was on creating a brand that is adventurous, independent, values freedom and desires excitement. We came up with the tagline #celebrateyourdifference which is what we based our entire concept on.
The Explorer brand stays current with trends, encouraging individual initiative, and providing others with the opportunity to learn and grow.
Design Challenge
We needed to create a logo that was more than just a logo. It needed to be transformative, just like the space. We needed something that would grab the attention of forward-thinking creatives in Sydney's West and we needed to do it in a proactive, independent way.
We looked at the Penrith area, the geographic shape of the region that it occupies, the connection to the traditional owners of the land. Linking the rich heritage of the Darug tribe - their creative culture of weaving and painting, using bright vibrant colours in their work - with the physical shape of the area, we came up with a facetted logo that represents the different creative industries that make up the service offerings of The Creative Fringe:
• Graphic Design
• Web Design
• Photography
• Copywriting
• Illustration
• Videography
• Marketing
• PR etc
A big challenge was creating a space and look that didn't fit within the preconceived idea of what people have of Penrith. We needed to push the boundaries and bring something that you would find in the inner city, into the heart of Penrith - and do it convincingly.
User Experience
We wanted to maintain the warehouse feel yet turn it into an amazing space to work. We kept the concrete walls, old air pressure pipes and installed a pressed metal splashback in the kitchen. The industrial feel is further enhanced by the style of furniture that has been used.
On entry the visitor is greeted with fairly lights, a vertical garden and gorgeous wrought iron gates. Old doors were decorated by residents which now hang throughout the warehouse adding interest, a whimsical mood and creativity.
The website is fun, informative and responsive. We designed a fortnightly blog and EDM, as well as monthly Fringe Benefits events. Customised TCF t-shirts can be purchased for people to take part of the experience home with them.
We have created a very strong social media strategy with Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter to engage their followers. They are trending on #celebrateyourdifference
The Creative Fringe is an experience. It's a space that engages by inspiring. The outcome is a physical space that influences and amazes, and a working environment that is a dynamic pool of energy that facilitates the creation of transformative ideas, forward-thinking innovations and collaboration and awe-inspiring concepts.
Marketing - Branded Experience
This award celebrates creative and innovative design for branded experiences intended to persuade an audience to purchase or take some action upon products, ideas or services. Consideration given to the technical, conceptual and aesthetic elements, user experience, audience engagement and message delivery.
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