'We Are Cork' branding exercise costs almost €300,000

By Joe Leogue

Almost €300,000 has been spent on developing the ‘We Are Cork’ brand and marketing the county as a business destination, the Irish Examiner can reveal — with the majority of the spend going on consultants.

“We Are Cork” — a branding exercise by Cork’s local authorities, along with stakeholders from business, educational, and transport sectors — was launched to much fanfare last month and said its goal is to “amplify to the world all that is good about Cork” through “the authentic stories of people who live, work, study, invest and do business here”.

Figures released to the Irish Examiner via the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the total cost of this branding exercise and an economic marketing strategy for the region has cost €290,305.10 to date.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney, with pupils from St Maries of the Isle Presentation, at the launch of ‘We are Cork’. Picture: Clare Keogh

Most of the spend has gone to consultants, and the majority of the cost has been borne by Cork’s City and County Councils.

In its reply to the Irish Examiner, Cork City Council said it has a contract with economic development consultants OCO Global, working with Collaborate, to deliver both the development of the “We Are Cork” brand, and “an investor-focussed economic marketing strategy”.

“It is not possible to isolate the ‘We Are Cork’ brand development related costs from the investment promotion and economic marketing costs – most invoices from the consultants (OCO Global) refer to both strands of the overall contract,” City Hall said.

Its reply has revealed that €200,033.88 has been paid to the consultants so far, with the rest of the costs going on VAT on consultancy fees (€45,505.42), the production of 12 videos (€14,074), photography (€7,178.31), PR support (€4,234.90), design and print costs (€11,068.55), pop-up stands (€1,918.80), promotional items (€3,341.92), equipment hire (€282.90) and event costs such as venue hire, A/V equipment, refreshments, and an MC (€2,666.42).

“National and international marketing of the City and County is vital as under Project Ireland 2040, the Cork City region is projected to be the fastest growing city region in the country in the next 20 years.

“The net cost to Cork City Council of the overall project i.e. the development and roll out of the ‘We are Cork’ placebrand and on an investment promotion/economic marketing programme to promote Cork as a location for investment, is €139,407.34. Monies received/to be recouped from Cork County Council total €115,897.78 and a further €35,000 has been received/is being recouped from other project partners,” the City Council said.

These partners include UCC, CIT, Cork Chamber, IBEC, Cork Business Association, the Port of Cork and Cork Airport.

“The development of the Cork Placebrand is part of the policies in the Cork City Development Plan 2015-2021, the Cork City Council Corporate Plan 2015-19, the Cork City Local Economic and Community Plan 2016-2021 and the Cork City Council annual services plan, all of which were approved by Elected Members at Council,” the City Council said.