CorpComms Magazine

Culture and Sport Glasgow, the umbrella organisation covering a wide variety of leisure services in the city has today taken on a new name, Glasgow Life.

The rebranding is intended to connect and consolidate the many different services on offer in Glasgow - its museums, libraries, art galleries, concert halls and leisure centres - and reflect the variety of activities available to the city's inhabitants.

Unions have heavily criticised the use of £50,000 of government funds for a publicity campaign to refresh logos and brand names when wage cuts are anticipated across the organisation. But Tayburn, the communications firm behind the rebranding, has defended the consumer rationale of such a move.

Simon Farrell, managing director of Tayburn, said: 'There's been a lot of focus on the name change but in many ways, that's the least important thing. Glasgow Culture and Sport incorporated over 50 separate organisations. There were lots of projects being promoted under completely different consumer trading brands. Those using services in libraries were not aware of what was available to them in sports. We did a lot of research into libraries, found many older people using them who weren't aware that they were entitled to free swimming lessons at their local pool.

'There was a lack of connectivity. So we wanted much clearer signposting of what services were on offer that were free or good value for money.'

As well as increasing local awareness of Glasgow's many leisure facilities, Farrell argues 'Glasgow Life' better reflects the diversity of work that staff at the organisation are doing.

'Glasgow Culture and Sport employed 2,000 people and when we conducted staff engagement research, we met many employees who didn't feel the name recognised what they did. What about libraries - do they really come under culture? What about outreach and learning schemes? We wanted a brand that incorporated all aspects of life in Glasgow - from the high-end culture to working with deprived kids.'

A new website has been launched to satisfy all the city's leisure needs and the new logo is set to be rolled out on promotional material in venues across Glasgow.

share me: del.icio.us | digg | reddit | Tweet