Promoting Belfast

Branding strategy

Belfast One is working towards creating a recognizable and cohesive brand for Belfast City Centre, ensuring that our visitors know they are within a managed area and can expect high standards.

We have partnered with McCadden, a well-known and respected branding agency in the city, responsible for other prominent brands, including that of Belfast itself. Through this partnership, we aim to strengthen and embolden our brand, making it easily identifiable and enhancing the area’s vibrancy and regeneration.

This strong brand presence will enable Belfast One businesses to promote themselves with confidence using our various platforms and contribute to the overall growth of the City Centre Collective.

Placemaking, street art, marketing campaigns and various projects are crucial strategies for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) like Belfast One. These initiatives work towards several key goals:

1. Increasing Footfall: Events attract visitors to the city centre, boosting the number of potential customers for local businesses.
2. Enhancing Retention: Engaging activities and a vibrant atmosphere encourage people to stay longer, leading to increased spending and repeat visits.
3. Instilling a Feeling of Safety: A bustling city centre filled with people and activities creates a perception of safety, making it a more inviting place for visitors.
4. Promoting Cleanliness: Regular events often involve cleanup and maintenance efforts, ensuring the city remains tidy and appealing.
5. Fostering Community: Events and public art projects create a sense of community and civic pride among residents and visitors, enhancing the overall experience of the city centre.

By focusing on these areas, Belfast One aims to create a thriving, dynamic, and attractive environment that benefits both businesses and the wider community.

Belfast One has created an annual events calendar designed to attract people to and around the City Centre. These events include, but are not limited to:

• Belfast Restaurant Week
• Summer Cinema at City Hall
• Belfast One-Way Edit Fashion Show
• Easter Egg Hunt
• Inflatable Halloween Monsters
• Pumpkin Patch
• Christmas Santa’s Post Office
• Chinese New Year Celebrations
• Dressing of the City Centre Trees
• The Belfast Sign
• Hit the North Street Art Festival
• TradFest
• Belfast Summit
• Other placemaking initiatives

These events represent a selection of the many projects that have taken place or are planned for the future. For more information on how your business can get involved, please contact us at info@belfastone.co.uk.

Businesses have requested us to establish a consistent, year-round promotional campaign to convey the Belfast City Centre message to our target audience using a variety of media resources. In Autumn 2016, we launched our brand with an integrated marketing campaign across offline and online advertising. Since then, we have built on this foundation year after year with continual marketing and events campaigns, focusing on those within a 45-minute drive time of Belfast.

Our marketing initiatives include:

1. Alive After 5
   • This campaign encourages people to stay in the city centre after work hours by promoting evening events, dining options, and shopping opportunities. The aim is to increase footfall during the evening and support local businesses.
2. Welcome You to Belfast One
   • Designed to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for visitors, this campaign highlights the unique attractions and friendly environment of Belfast City Centre. It aims to foster a sense of belonging and community among residents and tourists alike.
3. Those Summer Nights
   • A seasonal campaign focusing on summer activities and events in Belfast City Centre. By promoting outdoor events, festivals, and special summer offers, we aim to attract more visitors and enhance the city’s vibrant atmosphere.
4. What’s Your Belfast One Thing
   • This campaign engages the community by encouraging people to share their favourite things about Belfast City Centre. It creates a buzz on social media and helps build a positive image of the city through personal stories and recommendations.
5. Belfast One’s to Watch
   • Aimed at showcasing businesses and talents within the city centre, this campaign highlights new and innovative offerings. It helps build brand exposure and trust while supporting local entrepreneurship.

These campaigns not only create brand exposure and trust but also complement our events and placemaking projects.

Communications and Information Hub

Since Belfast City Centre Management ceased operations, Belfast One has cemented itself as the communications pipeline for all things city centre related. We provide essential updates through our newsletter and news section on our website, which includes regular updates on:

• Road closure management
• Important City Centre Information
• Workshop Details
• Cleansing operations
• Policing information
• Parade routes
• Key events
• Transit changes

These updates are crucial for city centre businesses, as they provide timely and relevant information that can impact daily operations. By keeping businesses informed, we help them to plan more effectively, respond to changes quickly, and take advantage of opportunities arising from city centre events and activities.

Content Creation for Businesses

We offer content creation services to businesses in the area. From social media posts to promotional videos, our team can help you craft compelling content that resonates with your audience and enhances your brand presence. For more information, contact info@belfastone.co.uk or reach out to your engagement contact.

Website and Social Media Presence

Belfast One has developed a comprehensive online and social media presence to promote businesses within the area. Our website serves as an encyclopedia of information about Belfast One, including details on our projects, press releases, and various information and downloads we find pertinent to share. It is the best place to learn about who we are and what we do. To feature your business on our blog or social media platforms, please contact us at info@belfastone.co.uk.

Market Research and Performance Metrics

We conduct ongoing market research with consumers and businesses throughout the Belfast One area. This data informs our marketing strategy with the primary aim of increasing footfall in the City Centre. Quarterly reports based on this research are available to all Belfast One businesses.

Additionally, we have installed six footfall cameras within the Belfast One area to benchmark and monitor footfall in the City Centre. This data helps us evaluate the effectiveness of our projects and promotional campaigns. Monthly footfall reports are available to businesses. To register for these reports, please click here.

Belfast City Centre Gift Card

In collaboration with Miconex, Belfast One has introduced a City Centre gift card. All levy-paying businesses can register to accept the gift card at no additional cost. No new technology or modifications are required, as the gift card operates as a pre-paid MasterCard.

Since its inception, facilitated by Belfast One, we have invited the Linen Quarter BID and Cathedral Quarter BID to participate, thereby expanding its geographical range. We are proud to announce that we have recently celebrated reaching over half a million in sales.