Siilinjärvi

We created Siilinjärvi’s renewed brand as a seamless collaboration with a vast team. The municipality’s residents also participated in the project, which was carried out in close cooperation.

The client

Siilinjärvi is a vibrant and growing municipality of approximately 22 000 inhabitants, the second largest population in Pohjois-Savo.

In autumn 2022, as a partner of Siilinjärvi municipality, Republic carried out a comprehensive renewal of the municipal brand and visual appearance.

The challenge

Siilinjärvi is a vibrant municipality in the armpit of the much better-known Kuopio. The city is proud of its independence and distinctiveness, but compared to its larger neighbor, the municipality’s recognition and attractiveness were not at the desired level.

The goal of the brand renewal was to increase the attractiveness, vitality, and staying power of Siilinjärvi municipality following the strategy. We wanted to create a brand for the vibrant and pulsating community that the residents of Siilinjärvi would feel as their own. At the same time, a strong foundation would create capabilities for distinctive marketing and well-deserved media visibility.

The solution

For the renewed brand to appeal to people from outside the area, it naturally had to appeal to local residents as well. Their opinions and views were essential for successful brand work. By cooperating extensively with different parties, we were able to combine the views of hundreds of municipal residents for the use of the actual project team to lay the foundation.

Based on a survey conducted for the municipality and the definition of Siilinjärvi’s brand strategy and attractiveness factors carried out by the project team formed by Republic and the municipality’s representatives, a solid and expressive Siilinjärvi brand concept was created. Before the final selection, the residents could still vote on two alternatives to get strong enough support for the chosen idea.

From these starting points, Siilinjärvi’s brand concept “The heart says so” was born, which describes Siilinjärvi’s joy of life, good heart, and forward-looking optimism.

With the concept, we wanted to convey an image of Siilinjärvi as a warm, communal, and modern place that never lacks a twinkle in the corner of the eye. Siilinjärvi is the right size for all people and companies of all sizes – in Siilinjärvi, in the heart of Savo, it feels good to live, be and run a business.

The personal color palette communicates the municipality’s colorful and heartfelt character and offers a wide selection of color pairs for the brand. The waveform, which acts as a graphic element, was inspired by the ridges of Siilinjärvi. The stylized and airy letters describe the municipality’s role as a traffic hub.

The new brand concept was launched prominently on digital and the municipality’s channels. The idea of ​​the launch campaign “Siilinjärvi jackpot” came from the biggest lottery jackpot ever hit in Siilinjärvi. This time, however, the lucky numbers were not aimed at money but at plot of land.

The results

732 members of the municipality participated in the creation of the brand
More than 30 local people appearing in brand images
1 197 people engaged in the 1st stage of the new brand launch campaign (the number of participants in the lot lottery)
More than a million pairs of eyes reached (Meta’s channels, Nostemedia, and Savon Sanomat digital homepage)
4 558 activated people (visits to the campaign site)

“Residents were given the opportunity to participate, and the implementation is fresh. A good drive and sinks in for the residents as well.”

The meaning

Siilinjärvi’s brand was literally designed together. It doesn’t feel distant, glued on, and forced, but natural and own. The new brand is honest and genuine. Therefore, it is also long-lived and uncomplicatedly alive in time – just like Siilinjärvi should be!