CentrePoint Creative races away with NRG job

Northern Racing Group has this week completed a six-figure overhaul of its visual identity designed by CentrePoint Creative, in a bid to standardise marketing and signage across its eight strong group of racecourses.

The project, believed to be worth in the region of £150 000 to the consultancy, includes creation of corporate colours, typefaces, marketing material and race track signage. Work will be applied across the group’s eight racecourses, which include Chepstow, Newcastle, Uttoxeter and Brighton, in time for autumn fixtures.

In addition to signage, the brief involves the redesign of NRG’s entire corporate literature portfolio, which includes hospitality brochures, general information guides and fixture listings.

Each track’s literature is now colour-coded to enhance recognition in the marketplace, and relevant websites have been upgraded to reflect CentrePoint Creative’s design guidelines. ‘New additions to the portfolio will easily slot into the corporate system,’ says NRG managing director Rod Street.

The appointment comes as a result of a decision to concentrate all corporate design work in one group. In the past, each track hired its own consultancy, which created confusion among racing enthusiasts and corporate sponsors, according to CentrePoint Creative creative director Jon Hunter

NRG became concerned about the poor quality of marketing material distributed by its tracks to potential sponsors and visitors, says Hunter, prompting the group to impose a radical rethink.

Hunter adds, ‘Direct use of galloping horses has been deliberately avoided to provide some standout from the plethora of rival racecourses. Instead we have focused on the clients’ experience.’

The consultancy was appointed to the project in June following an eight-way pitch.