Mons European Capital of Culture 2015
Global campaign, identity & Communication for a year of culture.
In 2015, Mons was elected European Capital of Culture. Coast was selected to create the identity and translate 1 year of popular culture. From the strategic concept to the dissemination of communication, 2015 was a record year for Mons: 2 million visitors in the heart of a city rich in heritage.
This year of culture had one main goal: making it an event for all.
The city of Mons wanted one thing for its cultural year: showing a city open to all, being an unpretentious capital with pride. The idea was not to make art inaccessible, but on the contrary, close to people, popular in a good way. The program has been devised as generous and eclectic.
Our strategic concept was developed following observations. It was necessary to highlight three aspects of the cultural year: the first being the element of pride of the inhabitants of the city, the state of the city in full urban transformation & the creativity being it all.
One year of creation
The studio was a place of creativity for a year. From strategic direction to graphic execution, all of the creators came together around a common strategy developed at Coast: Messages, photo shoots, press announcements, television and radio campaigns, annual programs and signage. For a coherent year.
Fier d’être Montois
The annual campaign was created under a simple formula: Proud to be Montois (name of inhabitants of the city of Mons). Having noted the pride of the inhabitants of a city and at the same time their feeling of inferiority compared to major capitals around them, we have created a creative platform around the pride of being Montois. The idea being, through this campaign, to use local and international personalities by making them proudly say that they are from Mons, even if this is not the case.
A cow-boy, a traditional Scottish Lord, Jean Pol Lespagnard, a flamenco dancer, a cosplay girl, Carl Norac, a Swedish naturist, Marc Pinilla, Fanny Bouyagi, all shot with pride by Denis Rouvre.
A visual campaign on pride, in film and print.
The Campaign
The campaign was launched in 2014. Translating this ambition to bring the whole world to Mons. 3 TV spots were created, 5 radio spots and a local and international poster campaign were launched highlighting our ambassadors.
The graphic identity, translating the positivity and the transformation of the city was applied at different levels: in communication, in signage, in merchandising. From every point of view, the identity helped make the city very welcoming and modern.
A constructed Typeface
to unify the supports we created a graphic identity symbolizing the creativity and the transformation of the city of Mons. At the heart of this identity, a Mons 2015 font that represented the richness of a positive and multidisciplinary year
One year of Design
One year, this represents a team made up of multiple skills: copywriters, graphic designers, installers, video art and digital, signage and flow. All in the same direction.
From press presentation to opening night to 12 months of implementation
A homogeneous whole: from the evening of the presentation to the press, through the opening night to finally deliver a full year of creative direction and design
A success : Mons 2015 was a resounding success for the city of Mons in both cultural and economic terms. For every €1 invested by the regional authorities in the Mons 2015 Foundation, there were returns of €5.50 for the Belgian economy. 48 nearby cities and municipalities joined Mons and also ran cultural activities in 2015. Visitors to the tourist office up 470% and a 2,500% increase in the number of guided tours.
