Hastings People Asked to Help Decide on Brand
Hastings People Asked to Help Decide on Brand

Hastings - help us find the Heart of Hawke’s Bay, asks Mayor of Hastings, Lawrence Yule.
“The council’s search for a brand has been narrowed down to two options and now we need your help to decide what imagery will represent us in a new initiative to promote the Hastings District,” Mayor Yule says.
There were strict criteria for what the successful brand had to demonstrate.
“It has to align Hastings with Hawke’s Bay as a region and be compatible with the thriving Hawke’s Bay Wine Country brand. It needs to demonstrate all the great things our district has to offer, like our great weather, easy living lifestyle, vibrant Maori culture, and stunning scenery, our award winning wine and food, equestrian excellence and our fertile lands.
“And, for it to be truly successful, the brand has to be authentic and resonate with the people of Hastings,” Mayor Yule says.
“Hastings has so many stunning features, an innovative economy and great people. This brand will help us tell the world who we are and what we are about, so we need to get it right.”
This brand is just one part of a Hastings District Council strategy to build Hastings as an inviting visitor destination, an attractive business investment location and, most importantly, somewhere Hastings people can be proud of.
Seven Hastings creative businesses were invited to submit designs that can be used to promote the district.
Five businesses presented designs, which were then tested by a panel that included external marketing and design experts.
This, together with consulting with the community, represents a different approach to that adopted previously by council in developing a brand.
HDC is now seeking views on the two final designs over the next two weeks; getting public opinion at Flaxmere, Hastings and Havelock North supermarkets and asking for members of the public to submit their feedback on council’s website or in writing.
Public feedback, combined with the input from the panel, will be presented to council at a workshop later this month. A decision will be made on the design by the Council.
The five businesses which submitted designs were paid $2,000 and the finalist will be paid $10,000 to roll the design out over a suite of marketing tools, including a new visitor website, welcome signs and promotional devices.
The first stream of the wider strategy will focus on marketing and building iconic Hastings events and ensuring Hastings gets its share of the Hawke’s Bay visitor market.
The next phase of the strategy will work to attract business investment here and further initiatives to build civic pride in the district.
To see the two designs
in various placements please visit
www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/brand
or call HDC Marketing
Manager Sally Jackson on 871 5000 for a printed copy and
feedback form.
Submitters have until Friday, November 20 to contribute their feedback to council.
ENDS