#BristolTogether

Agency: Plaster Creative Communications

Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District represents over 600 businesses across the centre of Bristol. Throughout 2020, the team were looking for a campaign which would gently attract the public back to the city centre after lockdown, while communicating an ongoing safety message.

Plaster created a campaign that engendered a sense of togetherness. Businesses, official bodies and Bristol’s communities, worked in unison for the benefit of the city. A message of reassurance for people, that life will return; a message of confidence for businesses, that demand will resume.

To launch the #BristolTogether concept, Plaster and Upfest - Europe’s largest street art festival, worked together to launch Hearts in the Parks. 374 2m wide hearts were painted on three of the city’s parks for people to sit in and enjoy the outdoors together. Tens of thousands of people visited and the campaign went viral, with media enquiries as far as Russia and Colombia. The idea was repeated in parks in Singapore.

As the campaign progressed it brought a huge number of stakeholders together including multiple teams from Bristol City Council, the Mayor’s City Office, Bristol Cathedral and over 100 businesses around the city.

A further three activations supported retail streets, drove footfall during December and lifted the city’s spirits in the form of 20 hot air balloons making a heart shape in place of Bristol International Balloon Fiesta’s 2020 event.

A front page summarised the campaign. Bristol Magazine said ‘As green shoots emerge, Bristol responds with trademark care, creativity and innovation.’