Brand Creation, Sponsorship Strategy & Digital Platform

The Challenge

The Hereford Military History Festival was a new cultural initiative designed to celebrate the region’s military heritage while driving tourism, economic growth and community engagement.

As a brand-new concept, the project had no existing audience, no legacy identity and no established credibility.

The challenge was to:

• create a strong, recognisable brand from scratch
• translate a complex vision into a clear and compelling narrative
• position the festival as a credible, long-term event
• develop a digital platform focused on sponsorship acquisition
• produce supporting assets for both digital and in-person engagement

The objective was not just to launch a website, but to build a commercially viable and investable proposition from day one.

Our Approach

We approached the project as a combined branding, digital and commercial strategy, ensuring every element supported credibility, engagement and sponsorship conversion.

Brand Strategy & Positioning

We began by defining the core narrative behind the festival.

This centred on:

• Herefordshire’s role in military history, including WWII munitions production
• its global association with the SAS
• the opportunity to establish a destination cultural event

This allowed us to position the festival as more than an event, but as a heritage-led initiative with long-term impact and growth potential.

Brand Identity Development

The visual identity was designed to balance heritage with modern usability.

The system incorporates:

• military-inspired typography reflecting authenticity
• strong iconography influenced by defence and identity
• subtle references to heraldic structures and local heritage
• a flexible design system suitable for digital, print and physical formats

The outcome is a brand that feels:

• credible and authoritative
• rooted in place
• scalable for future growth

Sponsorship-Led Website Design

The website was designed as a sponsorship and stakeholder conversion platform, rather than a traditional event website.

The structure focuses on:

• communicating the festival’s value and vision
• demonstrating audience and economic potential
• presenting sponsorship opportunities clearly
• guiding users towards enquiry

This approach aligns with our wider strategy of building lead generation systems that support commercial outcomes, rather than static brochure sites.

Campaign & Supporting Assets

To support engagement beyond the website, we developed a coordinated set of campaign materials.

Sponsorship Brochure

A structured, narrative-led document designed to:

• communicate value to potential sponsors
• present commercial opportunity clearly
• reinforce credibility

Email Campaign Strategy

A multi-stage campaign designed to:

• invite key stakeholders
• drive event attendance
• maintain engagement
• support follow-up communication

Event Invitation

A high-impact, single-page invitation designed to:

• capture attention quickly
• encourage attendance
• direct users to further information

Results & Impact

Immediate Outcomes

• a credible, professionally positioned festival brand
• a clear and structured sponsorship proposition
• a connected digital and marketing ecosystem

Strategic Impact

• positioned the festival alongside established cultural events
• created a scalable platform for future growth
• supported early-stage sponsorship and stakeholder engagement

The project successfully transformed an early-stage idea into a coherent, commercially viable initiative.

What This Demonstrates

This project highlights The DM Lab’s ability to:

• develop brands from concept through to execution
• create narrative-led positioning for new ventures
• design websites focused on conversion and commercial outcomes
• deliver integrated campaigns across multiple channels
• align creative strategy with real business objectives

The Hereford Military History Festival demonstrates how strategic branding and digital thinking can turn a concept into a credible and investable proposition.

By combining narrative, design and digital structure, we created a foundation for long-term growth not just a one-off launch.