In July 2004, the Stroud District’s Creating Wealth Syndicate (CWS) commissioned Read & Woolf to gauge whether a new enterprise initiative could contribute towards ‘Creating Wealth in the Stroud District’ and to recommend how it should be delivered, achieving maximum publicity and return.

Underpinning this study was the requirement to identify whether an enterprise brand and event could support the syndicates objectives for ‘Creating Wealth’ in the Stroud District – to promote the Stroud District as a place to live, visit, work, invest in and develop.

What we did

• We examined the unique strengths of the Stroud District, who they appealed to and how we could communicate them. We also analysed competitor initiatives. This process identified a set of clear marketing messages to enable positioning of the new enterprise brand, whilst ensuring strategic alignment with the economic themes of the CWS.
• We created a new enterprise brand to be indigenous of the Stroud District’s enterprise values and economic sectors. We tested the emotional response and positioning of the new brand against members of these economic sectors in brand workshops.
• We examined what type of event(s) would create maximum publicity and effectiveness; identified how the event should be promoted and how it should be positioned according to the Creating Wealth objectives.
• We created a 12 month marketing communications plan for the enterprise with detailed project costs, milestones, resources and critical paths (to success). We outlined how marketing the district over 5 years, initially, would enable sustainable growth of the enterprise objectives.

Results

This feasibility study has been the catalyst for subsequent funding and development of the enterprise initiative. It has also been successful in generating awareness locally through positive local press and television coverage. Subsequently, membership of the Creating Wealth Syndicate has significantly increased as more local businesses and community groups offer their support to the enterprise initiative.

Testimonial

“We chose Read & Woolf through competitive tender to produce a feasibility study for the CWS. The work was very well received and provided the CWS with a wealth of ideas and solutions, which are currently forming part of a 5-year Business Plan to deliver many of these recommendations.

Read & Woolf are bright, receptive, innovative, technically able and quick to understand a range of complicated issues. They are a pleasure to co-operate with, often showing willingness to work outside their remit by offering other advice and support due to their own interests in our work.”

Terry Morgan, Chairman of the Creating Wealth Syndicate & Regional Secretary – FSB Bristol & Gloucestershire Region.