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Testimonials
Stephanie Leung
Burnaby Hospital Foundation
| Downtown Maple Ridge |
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The Challenge Maple Ridge is one of the fastest growing communities in Metro Vancouver, was rated the #2 top investment town in British Columbia for two years running, and holds the title of the best place to live in BC for lifestyle. It has an award-winning town centre, free parking, a vast array of services, and beautiful surroundings. Yet, despite these accolades and attractions, downtown Maple Ridge had a negative reputation among its residents and was not a target destination for tourists. Our challenge: To create a place brand strategy that engages the public in the positive aspects of downtown Maple Ridge and enables Maple Ridge to share its unique strengths and personality with its residents and surrounding communities. To encourage people to come shop, work, and play in downtown Maple Ridge, we first needed to create a clear identity for Maple Ridge that was distinct from neighbouring communities. We needed to clarify downtown Maple Ridge’s business goals, strengths, and challenges and engage the public to take part in creating a community that they were proud to share.
Our research showed that while many residents described Maple Ridge as historic, family-oriented, friendly, beautiful, homey, cultural, artistic, and adventurous, there was an overwhelming focus on the negative issues of homelessness, vandalism, and theft which unfortunately exist in every community. There was a critical lack of distinction between Maple Ridge and its neighbouring communities, with many residents unable to identify the characteristics that made Maple Ridge unique. We also discovered that downtown Maple Ridge had no clear direction for economic development. They could not identify what new businesses they wanted to attract, what made it unique to investors, or how to increase its profile. Their messaging was inconsistent, and their visual design was not cohesive and didn’t build brand recognition. Business improvement programs and initiatives were not gaining the full support of local businesses and property owners. One of our largest concerns was that the residents didn’t feel like they owned any part of the community. There was a lack of trust and emotional attachment to downtown Maple Ridge, and the public was not aware of the damage they caused their community by highlighting the negatives rather than focusing on the countless positives.
Synergist Communications, together with the Business Improvement Association (BIA) and the District of Maple Ridge, developed a new brand identity and marketing materials to reposition the downtown core. “Ours to Share” is not just a tagline; it’s a promise from the downtown Maple Ridge community to everyone outside the catchment. Maple Ridge’s place brand strategy encompassed long- and short-term business goals and included visual identity, marketing materials, communications, events, and strategic partnerships. A new corporate website acts as a hub of public communication, and a consistent and positive message is shared through marketing and visual branding initiatives. Festivals, events, and strategic partnerships are planned to create a greater sense of community and show that downtown Maple Ridge is a thriving, energetic, and safe place to raise your family. These initiatives celebrate the artistic and creative impact of Maple Ridge’s residents. Most importantly, downtown Maple Ridge is demonstrating its commitment to building a community that shares a common pride in their community with each other and neighbouring towns.
The Tools Synergist Communications provided downtown Maple Ridge with a place brand strategy, a new visual identity, and an implementation plan. We also designed and developed a cohesive set of branded tools, including:
The Work |
