CorpComms Magazine

Tottenham, an urban district in the London borough of Haringey, has an image problem. Despite a surge in investment and economic activity during the last few years, the perception of the area remains poor among many local inhabitants, according to Marcus Bertapelli, a director at North London Business, an economic development agency.

Schemes like Hale Village, a regeneration project to the tune of £400 mn, and the opening of a multi-million-pound cultural building, the Bernie Grant Arts Centre, last October, have failed to shift a commonly held view that the area is in decline, fostered by decades of deindustrialisation.

This is a major problem for the Tottenham Partnership, an initiative set up by Haringey City Growth, a development project, to boost the area's economy and reputation. The Partnership needs Tottenham residents on side, contributing to the local community and acting as ambassadors for the area.

To address this, a new Tottenham brand has been developed by branding and design agency Lloyd Northover. It aims to close the gap between people's negative perceptions of Tottenham and what the area actually has to offer. A visual identity for Tottenham has also been created for the first time.

The new brand is 'a rallying banner for everyone in Tottenham, repositioning it as a place with great opportunities for businesses, with a talented and skilled workforce, and as a diverse, vibrant, dynamic, safe place to live, work and play,' says Phil Heaton, a strategist at Lloyd Northover. Along with publicising big projects like the new arts centre, Lloyd Northover plans to highlight small-scale community work run by Tottenham residents. 'The brand stretches from the big picture down to everyday details; it's not a top-down project,' adds Heaton.

For example, a scheme called Local Heroes will draw attention to people having a positive impact on the local community. One of the proposed heroes is Tyrone McKay. Last summer, he set up a youth centre called Higher Heights for teenagers who have dropped out of school. 'Schemes like this need more support,' states Heaton. 'People need to know what's going on so they can contribute their time. The new brand should encourage people to get involved.'

The brand is being rolled out through a two-stage marketing campaign, a process Lloyd Northover honed during recent work with the city of Belfast. First, the existing image of Tottenham held by its own residents will be tackled. Once this is accomplished, the brand will be exported to individuals and businesses beyond the Tottenham area, in the hope of inciting further interest and investment.

'We are keen, initially, to address the people this brand is for,' comments Heaton. 'We want people to talk up Tottenham and see the great things it has to offer.'

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