Mark rebrands Manchester Green scheme

Manchester City Council’s Environmental Business Pledge is to receive a boost with a brand overhaul by Mark Studio.

With its refreshed identity, Manchester City Council is hoping to attract more than 1200 companies in the North West to its free scheme, which helps businesses improve energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint.

Mark Lester, founder of Mark Studio, explains that the scheme has been running for a number of years, but had so far only signed up less than 900 businesses in the North West region.

Councillor Neil Swannick, Manchester City Council’s executive member for the environment, says, ‘The branding will play an integral role in raising awareness about the pledge among key opinion formers, and as more companies come on board, more will follow.’

Mark Studio won a three-way creative pitch in September against undisclosed groups from the North to create the logo, brand guidelines, promotional literature and website.

Lester explains, ‘The brief was really to create something that would be iconic, clean and unfussy, and make the scheme instantly recognisable.’

We came up with about 20 concepts for the council to choose from, but in the end they settled on this one, says Lester.

The logo features a lower-case ‘E’ with a leaf integrated into the letter.

A two-and-a-half metre model of the logo, made from recycled materials, is also in development. It will be used for photographic and sales purposes.