East Midlands Chamber
Connecting, championing and supporting local businesses, organisations and communities.
The brief
We were thrilled to have the opportunity to pitch for and subsequently work with The East Midlands Chamber on a comprehensive brand and website overhaul, as part of their ongoing digital transformation initiative. As the foremost business representation body in the East Midlands, serving over 4,000 members with a diverse array of services, it was paramount to enhance the core user experience across both brand and website.
Our goal was to ensure swift access to pertinent services for users, aligning with the Chamber’s multifaceted nature. A complete rebranding effort and strategic overhaul were necessary to solidify the Chamber’s identity and strategic direction. Additionally, a central aspect of the website brief was the seamless integration with Microsoft Dynamics, their chosen CRM. This integration aimed to establish a unified repository for essential data, ensuring that the website served as a pivotal gateway linking users to pertinent information, events, and member details.
The solution
Our strategy for The East Midlands Chamber project began by collaborating with external partners to define a robust brand strategy, capturing the essence of the Chamber’s identity. Through brand activities and user testing, we identified the optimal brand architecture swiftly, creating a professional, modern, and adaptable brand.
Shifting focus to the website, our approach emphasised scalability and autonomy. We curated a core block library for ongoing page development, evolving into an extensive, flexible design system. To ensure real-time data synchronisation, we established an API connection with the CRM, seamlessly integrating event information and member data. Furthermore, we undertook a comprehensive navigation restructuring, enhancing user experience by facilitating intuitive access to personalised services.
A digital transformation
The East Midlands Chamber sought to digitally reflect their internal transformation and newly established brand architecture and style through their website. They envisioned a clean, modern look and feel, complemented by a detailed, flexible design system to ensure a fully scalable website and foster autonomy within their internal team. The site employs established colour pathways to guide users and streamline navigation, directing them to the services relevant to their needs.
Brand architecture
Retaining the heritage of the Chamber was paramount in our approach, symbolising its rich history and significance. We strategically brought together the three regions through their county colours to achieve the vibrant purple hue, representing unity and collaboration. Our personalised logotype preserves the curvature from the leaf motif, adding depth and character to the brand identity. Interestingly, the curve device in the brand application is derived from the original logomark, a subtle yet significant nod to the Chamber’s roots.
Aother ongoing aspect of the project was the integration of the the wider sub-brands into the master brand, ensuring consistency and establishing a clear hierarchy. Each sub-brand features a complementary colour palette that aligns with the master brand’s tone structure, while also incorporating unique brand applications based on its logo mark. The pill device is integrated into larger logo sizes to reinforce the connection with the East Midlands Chamber and is an integral part of the ongoing sub-brand rollout
Awards season
A significant focus of the East Midlands Chamber is on events within its three areas, and early on, it was determined that the Business Awards would adopt a similar branding approach to the sub-brands. This decision aimed to infuse a fresh look and feel while maintaining the overarching master brand identity. Leveraging the curve device from the Chamber brand, we developed a distinctive logo mark specifically for the Business Awards, ensuring longevity and continuity for years to come.
