The Dorset Business Awards (DBA) 2018 was a resounding success. Dorset Chamber brought in new brand communications partner Global for a fresh approach to create an emotive live brand experience. We speak to Darren Mooney, Creative Director at Global about their involvement.
This was the first time you have worked with the DBA’s, how did you tackle the brief?
Dorset Chamber were very clear as to what they wanted to achieve this year, they wanted to create an emotive visual experience across the awards programme. Global’s ethos is to “adventure” which is why we took them out of their comfort zone, got creative and took risks. This was key to our collaboration, as we felt compelled to push their creative boundaries at all points.
When we were asked to support the awards, we knew that it was the biggest business event in the region, its scale and production are comparable to the sort of events that you would be attending in London. It was therefore essential for us to deliver a truly immersive experience for the Dorset business community that echoed that of world class concert. A visual spectacle that would be remembered for a long time to come.
How important was it to get the key messaging right?
The awards are about businesses and businesses are about the people within them, Stuart Dixon asked us to create a concept that captured the key message ‘Together We Succeed’. It was critical that this message was heard, the awards were inclusive and that notable businesses were recognised with their success stories seen.
The tone of voice of the DBA’s was also critical. If a brand suddenly deviates and communicates as anyone else, they would become unauthentic and unbelievable as a brand. It was therefore vital for the Dorset Chamber to stick to their values, message and tone of voice in all communication: especially at the DBA’s where you are literally face to face with your audience.
To highlight that we are stronger working together than in isolation is an important message that had to be re-enforced at every touch point and very poignant during the current political climate. We didn’t just have to make a great first impression, but a lasting impression to continue the conversation beyond the event.
What was your approach in delivering this brand experience?
The overall audience is huge so it’s crucial that we delivered a brand experience of the highest quality for all concerned. Our aim was to stir genuine positive feelings about the awards. These emotions are directly associated with a brand so they play a vital part in shaping the conversation. If we execute this right the brand gets amplified further. It was essential that what we created felt real and genuine, organic and relevant to the Dorset business community. Our strategy was to ensure we put the finalists and guests at the centre of the event. The visuals we created put faces to the names of the finalists, telling their real stories. This was key to inspire and resonate with the audience.
Our collaboration with Brighter Productions was also essential. This is because we had to have a clear understanding of what assets they required for the event. Once they had put all our creative together for the production, it was seamless and as you would expect they gave us a first-class production.
What is your takeaways from the whole experience?
We keep getting contacted a lot about the Dorset Business Awards and there is no doubt that this project has been good for our profile and our business. We are hearing a lot of people say that it was the personal nature of the awards they loved this year, so we are extremely proud of what we have achieved and enjoyed the collaboration with Dorset Chamber. The awards are important to us and Dorset. To have such an event, showcasing our business community to the rest of the UK is something we shouldn’t underestimate.
Global are a full service creative brand communications agency base in Bournemouth. www.discoverglobal.co.uk T/ 01202 727070
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