Northumberland County Council
Local Government
Branding, Brand Guidelines
Northumberland County Council is the governing body of one of England’s most iconic regions – home to castles, coastline, and countryside. As the public face of the county, the Council’s brand appears everywhere: from uniforms to websites, highway vehicles to heritage signage. Blumilk was appointed to deliver a brand refresh that would bring greater consistency and clarity to the Council’s communications, while respecting the organisation’s longstanding identity and deep connection to community.
The Council’s existing brand carried heritage weight, but in practice, usage varied across departments, assets, and public-facing communications. This made it difficult to maintain visual consistency and impact, especially across such a large and diverse range of materials. The Council needed a refreshed and refined identity that felt modern and functional without losing its authority or regional roots. Clarity, usability, and brand governance were key.
Respectful RefinementBlumilk delivered a subtle but effective evolution of the brand. The work involved redrawing the logotype, refining colour palettes, and defining new rules for hierarchy and layout. This ensured the identity retained its recognisable character while functioning better in digital and print formats.
Comprehensive Brand GuidelinesWe created a robust, practical brand guidelines document, built with the day-to-day needs of council teams in mind. Clear specifications were included for typography, logo usage, colour contrasts, signage applications, uniforms, vehicle livery, and digital presentation.
Practical Roll-OutThe updated brand was applied across a wide range of real-world assets including uniforms, van graphics, signage, stationery, and council literature. We also worked on digital and social media-ready templates to ensure staff across departments could deliver consistent, on-brand messaging.
Bringing the Brand to LifeAlongside brand application, Blumilk provided creative support to show how the refreshed identity could work in context, from mobile website screens to timber signage in public buildings. The result was a toolkit that helped the Council present a more united, professional, and welcoming front to the public.
Our work helped Northumberland County Council modernise its visual presence, creating clarity across departments while protecting the strong sense of place that underpins the region’s identity. The refined identity now works harder across both physical and digital environments, giving staff the tools and guidance to communicate effectively with residents, partners, and visitors alike.
Northumberland’s public services reach across one of the UK’s most beautiful counties, and now, thanks to this brand refresh, every touchpoint feels part of the same shared story. As one of the most high-profile organisations in the North East, we’re proud to help Northumberland County Council put its best face forward; clearly, consistently, and confidently.
