Leading the North East into a limitless future

As part of the UK government’s ‘Levelling Up’ initiative to reduce regional inequalities and empower communities, seven North East councils – County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside, and Sunderland – came together to form a combined authority (CA).

By signing a devolution deal, they gained control of key decisions previously made in Westminster and brought them closer to home. However, whilst the CA promised a greater collective impact, it also came with challenges. Defining their role and uniting the diverse regions of the North East under one cohesive identity, were two of these problems.

Drummond Central was tasked with creating a brand that could connect the CA’s broad audience – from stakeholders and local authorities to residents and businesses.

To do this, we started by conducting extensive research, stakeholder workshops and competitor audits that helped bring clarity and alignment to the multifaceted brief.

This guided every step of our process, from refining the CA’s commitments to creating a logo, tone of voice and, of course, a name  – The North East Combined Authority (NECA).

The brand identity we delivered for The North East Combined Authority is distinctive yet functional. The logo we designed is simple and striking, featuring an upward-facing arrow to symbolise progress and regional pride. This was paired with detailed brand guidelines we crafted, ensuring a consistent identity and tone of voice across NECA’s platforms and applications.

Our thorough approach meant every viewpoint or perspective helped shape the brand development, ensuring the brand was ownable and resonated with everyone in the region, no matter who they were or where they lived.

By positioning itself as an approachable body with a clear identity, vision and commitments, NECA is primed to form strategic partnerships and drive sustainable growth, establishing the North East as the go-to place to live, work, and invest.