BrandXYZ is to work alongside the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority to support the region’s new Angel Network.
The North East MSA is seeking to integrate the region’s public transport, across bus, Metro, ferry and local rail. This will kick off this summer, with a consultation around a proposal to franchise buses under public control – a key building block for the Angel Network.
It’s something that will be familiar to agency founder, Jo Taylor, who led the rebrand of Manchester’s Bee Network, while working at Transport for Greater Manchester.
READ MORE – Bee Network brand lead launches BrandXYZ
BrandXYZ’s role will be to lead a programme “designed to ensure customer values sit at the heart of the Angel Network.”
“BrandXYZ has already shown a strong understanding of the complexities involved in developing a transport brand in a public sector environment. This next phase of work will help ensure the Angel Network will be customer-led from the outset and that our approach to branding is robust, coherent and achievable,” said Huw Lewis, Assistant Director of Communications at the North East Combined Authority.
“We have commissioned this work now so we can move at pace once we respond to this summer’s public consultation. BrandXYZ is a national leader in this field and we are delighted to be working with Jo and the team as we pave the way for further design and creative work to bring the Angel Network to life.”
The first part of the agency’s work will be to develop a set of customer principles, which will be shaped through research, engagement and testing with both the public and key stakeholders.
Alongside this, BrandXYZ will develop a full Angel Network brand transition and roll-out plan.
“This is a really exciting next step in our work with the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority,” said Jo Taylor, Founder and Director at BrandXYZ.
“We know from experience how important it is that passengers and residents are kept central to the journey in developing an integrated public transport system and that’s exactly what we’ll do. We’ll be creating, in partnership with the public, set of clear, representative customer values alongside a practical brand transition plan, which focuses on efficient delivery, minimises disruption and absolutely builds excitement to as towards what will be a defining positive change for those living and working in the North East.”
