A new chapter for the works that built the world

We’re incredibly proud to have been chosen as brand partners for such a significant local, national and international project. From our studio and head office, the former home of the grandfathers of steel Bolckow and Vaughan, we’re playing a pivotal role in the future of a historical landmark.

This wasn’t just another project. As a local agency with both national and international brand experience, we brought more to the table than strategic support and remarkably relevant creativity.

Like everyone on Teesside, the former steelworks are woven into the very fabric of our lives. We all have either friends or family who were employed by the industry and its many offshoots and, even today, it’s a site some of us pass through every single morning on the way to work.

From the outset we recognised the need to respect the past while celebrating the future. As the largest single development in the UK, we needed to be bold, direct and ambitious with the brand.

The name needed to resonate locally and be understood globally. It was crucial that the name felt authentic with a slight nod to the region and its history. It had to ring true with the people of Teesside; the very people who will be powering its future.

The key to this was to use a word that is already familiar and part of the local language. The ‘works’ is what everyone calls it, it’s what Uncles and Grandfathers talk about, offering an organic evolution to the terminology used most often ‘former steelworks’. Beyond that it has the double meaning of success, providing jobs and bringing work to the region.

Equally, this is a site capable of attracting international investors and multinational corporations. ‘Teesworks’ doesn’t just allow us to reclaim ownership of the site locally, it offers a geographical marker that puts the site on a global map.

The fire of industry, the green energy of sustainability and the blue spark of innovation all became the perfect visual metaphors to connect the past to the future.

A dynamic circular icon was developed as part of the wordmark, then refined to be strong enough to stand alone. This further reinforced the sense of transformation and progress, joining the dots to a circular economy powered by a cleaner, more sustainable future.

We’re delighted to have had the privilege to work closely with Mayor Houchen, his delivery partners and the team at Tees Valley Combined Authority on Teesworks. Being asked to launch the brand at this week’s press event was a proud (and emotional) moment in the history of Better.

We believe we’ve built a brand that will sit at the heart of Teesside for years to come and will symbolise a catalyst for change across the region.

We’re excited for what the future has to hold for both Teesworks and the area we work and live. And to quote Mayor Houchen, “this is just the start”.