PEI NETWORK
PEI NETWORK is an informal networking program of the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce connecting business and community leaders with Prince Edward Island’s top talent. The program creates opportunities for business or community leaders with much to offer graduates just entering the job market or newcomers to Canada to meet, greet and help them while building a talent pool they can tap into at the appropriate time. In addition, it is a great opportunity for new Islanders or new graduates with the qualifications businesses seek to introduce themselves, get the help they require and the connections they need to start and develop their careers.
Challenge
The task of PEI NETWORK is to connect a Connector (a business leader) and a Connectee (a new graduate) where the Connector must introduce the Connectee to three colleagues that will help to build a professional network. This informal business program aims to assist with developing a friendly and stress-free environment for communication and to encourage people to join and realize all the benefits of meeting new people who work in the same area of expertise. As PEI NETWORK is focused primarily on new graduates, the brand strategy must be to create communication with and engage and inspire a young target audience.
Idea
The key message and the main idea of the program implemented should be revealed in a modern logo design. The following simple formula became the central element of the logo: 1 Connector + 1 Connectee = 3 NEW CONNECTIONS. The goal of this program is to multiply the opportunities. This is where you can triple your efforts right away in finding possibilities to build your career. The synergy we reflected in the slogan became a call to action: “Multiply your opportunities!” The paradoxical arithmetic is designed to create keen curiosity and a desire to learn more about the program. This creative brand strategy became a trigger for the marketing of this program. We created an energetic colourful scheme combined with symbolic language to provide the main elements for brand communication. This vibrant pattern became the main identity and the logo design to promote PEI NETWORK online and offline.
Results
To introduce the new business program, where the target audience and the stakeholders could find full information about PEI NETWORK and join it, we developed an explanatory video and marketing materials. The custom-created animated illustration using simple visual language describes what the program does and how it can help build a career. The engaging hand-drawing style of the video and the storytelling format became the key interactive elements of the website we developed for PEI NETWORK. The website, in turn, developed into the primary channel for generating new leads for the program.To represent the program at the BIZ2BIZ trade show in Charlottetown, we created the booth's design, posters, banners, promo collateral and souvenirs. The powerful brand identity became the key element to engage booth visitors to begin communication. The bakery Buns & Things received an order to bake delicious cookies using the corporate pattern for the decor. The first wide public presentation of PEI NETWORK at BIZ2BIZ was very successful and attracted many people to learn more about the informal business program and join it.
The project's scope included the development of a brand strategy, the key message and communication style, a full brand identity with marketing materials, an informative and attractive video presentation, a website, and souvenirs for PEI NETWORK. As a result, in the first seven months, the program has exceeded its first-year objectives for the number of participants and membership continues to grow.
In 2018 the PEI NETWORK branding project received a Silver at the Summit Creative Award Competition in Boston, USA.
