How we helped to start a project that supports the local economy
In 2020, during the COVID era, we collaborated with Pepé Rafaj, founder of Corrency, and his team to develop a communication strategy and prepare a pilot project in Kyjov. Pepé came up with the idea of creating a system to distribute support to the most affected areas of business during the pandemic. Initially, we were skeptical of the project, as it was based on somewhat apocalyptic visions. However, Pepé convinced us of the viability of his idea, and we decided to collaborate, developing a communication strategy to reach potential investors and partners. After receiving support from the Ministry of Industry, we moved forward with preparing a pilot project set to launch at the end of 2020 in Kyjov.
Corrency is a system designed to support local economies. It allows municipalities to efficiently support residents and specific business sectors.
Communication strategy
At the beginning of the project, we facilitated workshops to define the target groups for Corrency's communication. The first group was mayors and city council members, the second was potential investors and institutions we sought support from, and the third was citizens and business owners for whom the project was designed.
We built the communication around a simple story of a business owner—a hairdresser—whose business was impacted by lockdowns during COVID. We chose a combination of original illustrations and video presentations. The illustration system was used across all communications, from presentations for investors and partners to project presentations for city halls.
Based on this communication approach, we defined the project's visual identity, using bold colors to make the project easily distinguishable in public spaces.
Pilot project
During the pilot project preparation phase, we defined the communication channels through which we engaged citizens and business owners, inviting them to participate. We created a project website with all essential information, streamlined the registration process for both citizens and businesses, and prepared printed promotional and informational materials. Additionally, we conducted training for business owners and set up the entire project lifecycle.
The pilot project in Kyjov proved the system's effectiveness, involving over 1,500 citizens who spent 718,643 corrents at local businesses. A survey showed that 84.9% of citizens would recommend the project, and 38 businesses reported increased awareness and profits. After the pilot's success, the project is now expanding to other parts of the Czech Republic.
Corrency website and creation of a modular system for city projects
As part of the project, we created the Corrency.cz website and a modular system for presenting individual sub-projects. The goal of the modular system was to present varying levels of information at different project stages while maximizing the efficiency of creating presentations for city halls.
