Our work for IDA Ireland & INI

Now is the time...

22 December 2008

NorthWest Now is a project which focuses on increasing enterprise in the cross-border region, particularly the cities of Londonderry in County Derry and Letterkenny in County Donegal, with the aim of attracting foreign investment.

We were commissioned jointly by the two relevant enterprise agencies (Invest Northern Ireland and IDA Ireland) to develop and communicate a value proposition for this region which would support and add value to the work of the marketing teams of both agencies. The objective was to capture and communicate the combined strengths and advantages of the region for potential investors.

Our brief was to come up with a name and tagline for this region and to develop an appropriate look and feel for the communication tools. We faced a challenge in creating a name that was memorable and would resonate with the staff of both agencies. Our solution is ‘NorthWest Now’ which refers to how the region’s geographical location is traditionally referred to and adds a sense of urgency and immediacy to the area that this region is active now, Now is when things get done. Now is when innovation is realised. The specific narratives were expressed through the tagline: ‘Know us. We know how’, which not only links to the name through its use of the letters N and W but is also a bold statement and a powerful brand proposition.

We developed a confident and sophisticated look and feel for the marketing materials which included a 24-page brochure which is aimed at Chief Executives of potential investors. As a joint publication of IDA and INI, this brochure is not about the facts and figures, but represents the visionary aspect of the project which supports the region’s positive, vibrant and dynamic aspirations.

At the launch of the NorthWest Now programme in Londonderry, left, Denis Molomby, Executive Director of Corporate and Business Development, IDA Ireland, Graham Davis, Director of Regional Economic Development, Invest Northern Ireland, and Gerard Diver, Mayor of Londonderry.