Marketing communications: Better Bankside

Persuading businesses to pay for a cleaner, greener and safer environment

The brief

Better Bankside is one of the first pilot Business Improvement Districts (BID) and aims to make significant improvements to create a 'cleaner, greener, safer' area.

Better Bankside asked us to help develop a distinctive campaign look and feel to win a business ballot. Eight business and community pledges were established to succinctly communicate the BID purpose. An awareness building campaign began in the summer 2004 with a teaser, followed up by the BID proposal in November.

The solution

We developed a distinctive campaign look and feel that was adopted across all campaign channels. We focussed our efforts on getting the message right for voters and introduced 'Your Bankside. Your Business' as the campaign's strapline.

In January 2005 Better Bankside secured an overwhelming seal of approval from 75% of local businesses and became central London's first ever BID. The success of the BID means that Better Bankside will have in excess of £600k pa to spend over the next five years to improve the area for commerce.

"As pioneers we were confronted with the dual task of explaining the concept of Business Improvement Districts, and what Better Bankside is and proposes to do. The Team's major contribution was to distil what we wanted to say to a clear message delivered in a few key ways."
Peter Williams, Executive Director, Better Bankside

Marketing Design Awards 2005 - winner