A brand identity and platform for the traders of High St in Northcote, Victoria. Defining the strip of shops beyond its physical boundary, providing an online portal for its traders to market their goods and services and reinvigorating the local community.
We wanted to establish an identity that would cater to over 200 traders by finding cohesion in both language and visual communication to represent the array of businesses on the strip. We also needed to develop an online portal that was considerate of the different levels of digital literacy amongst the traders themselves to ensure it was inclusive, practical and easy for them to use.
Centred around the voices of High St —
Key messaging was established in direct response to creative workshops and questionnaires, and the visual identity was influenced by the history of the precinct and its diverse community.
We drew inspiration for the colour palette and typography from site-specific elements such as the strip’s heritage buildings, arts and culture venues, street signs and posters, combining them with original sketch-style illustrations.
During its campaign period, Northcote Rise reached over 50k users.
Northcote Rise was referenced in Parliament as a benchmark for community centred projects aimed at boosting local economies. Today, roughly 80% of all traders are actively using the online portal and we, as creative partners, are working closely with the community to ensure that the precinct and its people can continue to thrive.
The traders’ portal, provides an invaluable opportunity for businesses on High St to improve their online shop front.
Since launch of the new platform and identity the association successfully received funding for an Arts and Culture festival.
James Lim —
Creative Director
Impact
1 —
60%
increase in its social media following after launching the new brand and platform.
2 —
40.8%
increase in organic traffic, showcasing higher engagement post-launch.
3 —
80%
of all traders on High Street are actively using the online portal.
