Obesity in dogs is one of the biggest challenges facing pets and their owners today. Almost half of dogs in the UK are thought to be overweight or obese, a figure that’s both worrying and avoidable. Carrying excess weight puts dogs at risk of arthritis, diabetes and a shorter life.

For many owners, the challenge isn’t a lack of love, but rather how best to manage daily routines around feeding, exercise and treats. The reality is that most owners want the very best for their animals, but often lack the right information or support to make informed day-to-day decisions.

This is where a groundbreaking collaboration was formed. The University of Sheffield, Nestlé Purina and Perfect Circle have come together to design a practical solution that helps owners make healthier choices for their pets.

At the heart of the project is a health pack for dogs developed through a collaboration between Purina, Perfect Circle and the University of Sheffield. Purina’s ambition was to reduce obesity in dogs by creating a resource kit for owners that’s grounded in rigorous behavioural science rather than something that could be dismissed as a sales or marketing tool.

To achieve this, Purina selected Professor Thomas Webb for his expertise in behavioural science and his experience working with dog food brands. He and his team applied a scientific social marketing process that ensured the owner’s pack was designed with the necessary rigour to deliver real behavioural change. The process was tested with vets and owners, peer-reviewable, and built to provide measurable outcomes.

Importantly, the final packs were distributed to owners via vets, whose professional authority added weight and credibility, making it more likely that owners would use them.

This approach marks a first in its field, applying behavioural science to a health innovation for pets in a way that could offer genuine benefits for dog health and wellbeing.

By combining academic insight, industry support and creative design, the pilot brings together three perspectives with one clear goal: healthier, happier dogs.

Why Perfect Circle was chosen

Nestlé Purina wanted this project to be peer-reviewed and scientific to deliver a proven process for better health outcomes, and it was the first of its kind in this field. To achieve that, they needed expertise in social marketing — an approach that uses evidence-based techniques to change behaviour for the better. 

Perfect Circle was selected on the strength of our specialist expertise in social marketing and behavioural change, underpinned by a proven record of designing and delivering campaigns that effect meaningful and lasting shifts in behaviour. 

Our work demonstrates not only an ability to influence behavioural outcomes in a positive way, but also to do so with the creativity and credibility required to inspire genuine change.

Co-creation at the core

The project was never about producing resources as a marketing gimmick. Working in partnership, the University of Sheffield and Perfect Circle ideated, designed and developed a suite of potential tools for a dog owner’s obesity pack. Each concept was built around the COM-B model of behaviour change, which highlights capability, opportunity and motivation as the critical factors that drive behavioural outcomes. 

These initial ideas were then tested through co-creation workshops with both dog owners and vets. Their feedback was used to evaluate usability and likely effectiveness, helping to refine and strengthen the concepts to ensure the final materials would be both practical and genuinely capable of driving positive behaviour change.

What’s inside the dog obesity pack

The pack was developed with input from vets and tested with dog owners to ensure it was useful, not overwhelming. Owners are often bombarded with advice that feels abstract or impractical, so the focus was on creating tools that were accessible and encouraging.

The pack includes:

- Guidance on how to measure and maintain a healthy weight using Body Condition Score

- A journal for tracking weekly progress

- An infographic that shows the calorie content of common dog treats

- Cards with tips for handling tricky situations, such as begging at the table or family members slipping extra snacks

- A collar tag as a gentle reminder every time the lead goes on

Each tool was shaped through feedback from vets and owners, ensuring that what was delivered would actually be used in real households and in typical day-to-day situations dog owners encounter. 

Results from the first trial

A pilot study tested the pack with 78 dog owners. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Owners found the tools easy to use and many reported changes in how they fed, exercised and interacted with their dogs.

Some dogs showed early improvements in weight and Body Condition Score. For many, it was the first time they had a simple way to monitor progress and see results in a structured way.

Small changes add up. For some dog owners, that meant cutting down on treats, for others it meant adding an extra walk into their routines. The health pack helped people make changes that felt achievable rather than overwhelming.

Looking ahead

With Purina producing the first batch of health packs for distribution through vet practices, the reach is set to grow. That means more dog owners will get access to the tools and support they need to keep their pets healthier for longer. 

For veterinary professionals, it offers a ready-made resource to help support weight conversations with owners.

This collaboration is proof of what can happen when partners combine science with creativity and care. At Perfect Circle, we’re proud to play our part in this important project, and we look forward to seeing its impact as it reaches more households across the UK.

This project marks an exciting first step in tackling dog obesity through collaboration, evidence and creativity. Together with Nestlé Purina and the University of Sheffield, we’re helping owners make simple, lasting changes that will keep dogs healthier and happier for years to come. 

This is just the beginning of the story. In our next blog in the series, we’ll look at how behavioural science shaped the dog obesity health pack and why this approach is so powerful in helping dog owners make lasting changes.

You can read our blog series on this project here.

Nestlé Purina Collaboration Makes Behaviour Change Simple

Nestlé Purina Partnership: The Data That Matters

You can read the full paper here

If you’d like to discuss your next social marketing campaign, get in touch.

From how employees travel and use energy to the products teams buy and the suppliers they choose, everyday decisions can influence an organisation’s carbon footprint.

In this article, we explore how behaviour change can help organisations turn net-zero ambitions into action, from engaging employees and removing barriers to creating a culture where more sustainable choices become part of everyday working life.

The gap between knowing and doing

Most people don’t need to be told that climate change matters. But understanding an issue and intending to do something about it doesn’t guarantee that our behaviour will follow.

A 2026 review published in Nature Climate Change explored this intention-behaviour gap. It found that climate-friendly intentions can be influenced by a combination of individual, social and structural factors, including habits, social norms, affordability and convenience.

That distinction matters for organisations. Raising awareness is important, but communication alone may not be enough to change established ways of working.

Employees might understand what the organisation wants to achieve, but still encounter barriers such as:

● Established habits and routines

● Workplace processes that make another option easier

● A lack of practical alternatives

● Different behaviours being seen as the workplace norm

Understanding what sits behind a behaviour is an important first step towards changing it.

Make sustainable choices easier

If organisations want employees to behave differently, they need to consider the environment in which those decisions are made.

Research into workplace energy use supports this. A systematic review of 22 studies found that some of the most successful interventions created social and physical opportunities for employees to save energy, including providing support, changing the working environment and using social influence.

The same thinking can be applied across everyday working life. Behaviour change could mean making it easier for people to:

● Reduce energy use by changing how equipment, lighting and workplace facilities are used.

● Travel differently by making lower-carbon commuting, virtual meetings or public transport practical options.

● Cut waste by making reuse and recycling simple and accessible.

● Make considered purchasing decisions by bringing sustainability into procurement choices.

UK Government carbon reduction guidance also recognises the role employees can play through behaviours such as switching off equipment, sorting waste and travelling more sustainably.

The aim isn’t to place responsibility for net zero on individual employees. It’s to create conditions that help people make choices that support the organisation’s wider goals.

Make net zero part of the culture

Workplace behaviour doesn’t happen in isolation. We notice what the people around us do and, importantly, what our leaders prioritise.

If sustainability appears in a strategy but rarely influences everyday decisions, employees may struggle to see where they fit into the picture. When leaders visibly support different ways of working and those choices are reflected in processes and priorities, the message becomes much clearer.

Over time, actions that once required conscious thought can start to feel like a normal part of how the organisation operates.

This is where culture becomes particularly important. Achieving net zero is much harder when it falls solely to a sustainability team. Progress needs people across different roles and departments to understand how their own decisions contribute.

Look beyond your employees

Employees may be at the heart of internal behaviour change, but an organisation’s environmental impact extends further.

Depending on the business, progress could also involve influencing:

● Suppliers, through purchasing requirements and expectations

● Partners, by finding better ways to work together

● Customers, by making lower-carbon choices easier or more attractive

● Other stakeholders, by communicating clearly about the role they can play

Thinking more broadly can help organisations identify where changing behaviour could affect their wider network, rather than focusing only on what happens within their own walls.

Turn ambition into everyday action

Behaviour change starts with understanding what people currently do, why they do it, and what needs to change.

For organisations working towards net zero, that means identifying the behaviours with the greatest potential to drive progress. It also means looking at what might be preventing change, from habits and workplace norms to practical barriers.

With that understanding, organisations can develop strategies and communications that don’t simply tell people to behave differently, but help make change realistic and relevant to their everyday lives.

Are you looking to turn your net-zero ambitions into action?

Perfect Circle helps organisations understand the behaviours that matter and develop strategies and communications that encourage meaningful change.

Talk to our team about how behaviour change can support your journey towards net zero.

That’s the thinking behind co-creation. Rather than developing a solution and asking for feedback once the direction has already been set, genuine co-creation involves people earlier and gives them a meaningful role in what comes next.

Done well, it can lead to better informed decisions, more relevant solutions and greater support for the end result.

In this article, we explore why co-creation can lead to better long-term outcomes, from broadening the thinking to building greater ownership and creating change that lasts.

Bringing more perspectives into the picture

However experienced a project team may be, looking at a challenge from different viewpoints can add valuable depth to the thinking.

People bring knowledge and experiences that can reveal considerations which might not otherwise surface. Involving them early helps build a fuller picture of the challenge, including the practical realities that could influence whether an idea works.

This doesn’t replace existing expertise. It strengthens it by adding insight from the people who are connected to, affected by or invested in the outcome.

Turning participation into ownership

There’s an important difference between being told about a decision and having a meaningful role in shaping it.

When people have been part of the process, they can better understand why decisions have been made and see where their contribution has influenced the direction. This can lead to:

● Stronger buy-in: People have contributed rather than simply being presented with a finished decision.

● Greater ownership: Being involved creates a stronger connection with what follows.

● Better understanding: People gain insight into the thinking behind key choices.

● Lasting engagement: That early involvement can encourage continued support once an idea moves into action.

This matters because even a great idea depends on people embracing it if it’s going to make a lasting difference.

Making better informed decisions

Co-creation isn’t about getting everyone in a room until they agree. Different priorities and opinions are part of its value.

Open discussion can uncover practical issues, competing needs and potential barriers while there’s still an opportunity to address them. Instead of discovering these challenges after a solution has been launched, they can inform decisions from an earlier stage.

This is particularly valuable when success relies on people changing the way they think, behave or interact. Understanding what matters to them creates a stronger foundation for deciding what could work in practice.

Taking time now can prevent problems later

One reservation about co-creation is that involving more people can add time at the beginning of a project. When deadlines are tight, moving straight towards a preferred solution may seem like the quicker option.

Taking more time upfront, however, can help organisations:

● Spot potential barriers earlier, while there’s still room to address them.

● Test assumptions against different experiences and viewpoints.

● Avoid unnecessary rethinking after significant resources have been committed.

● Build support early, rather than trying to generate it once everything has been decided.

Co-creation requires commitment, but that initial investment can help reduce friction further down the line.

Creating outcomes that last

The real test of an idea is what happens after it’s introduced. When people have helped shape the direction, understand the thinking behind it and feel connected to what has been created, there’s a stronger basis for lasting change.

That’s where co-creation can have an impact beyond the initial process. It connects the people who will ultimately bring an idea to life with the decisions that shape it, helping turn initial participation into something more meaningful and sustainable.

Are you looking to run co-creation workshops?

Genuine co-creation takes more than bringing people together and asking what they think. Experienced facilitation helps create meaningful conversations, bring different voices into the process and turn those contributions into useful insight.

Perfect Circle has extensive experience leading co-creation and helping organisations use it to shape stronger, more sustainable outcomes.

If you’re considering co-creation for your next project or challenge, talk to Perfect Circle about how we can help.

While physical improvements remain important, many local authorities are recognising that thriving places are built around people, identity and community. That’s why culture-led regeneration is increasingly important in creating stronger, more connected communities.

By bringing together arts, heritage, creativity and community participation, councils can strengthen local identity while supporting wider economic and social objectives. As public sector organisations look for ways to boost local pride, attract investment and improve wellbeing, culture and placemaking are becoming central to regeneration strategies.

Why culture matters in regeneration

Culture is one of the most powerful tools available for creating a sense of place. It reflects a community’s history, character and aspirations while providing opportunities for people to come together and share experiences.

Culture-led regeneration can take many forms, including:

● Celebrating local heritage and history
● Supporting artists, musicians and creative organisations
● Delivering festivals, events and cultural programmes
● Enhancing public spaces through creative design and public art
● Creating opportunities for community participation

When culture is embedded into placemaking strategies, it helps create destinations that feel distinctive and authentic. Rather than applying the same approach everywhere, culture enables places to showcase what makes them unique.

This stronger sense of identity often leads to increased civic pride, greater community engagement and stronger social connections. Residents are more likely to support local initiatives and participate in community activities when they feel connected to the place they call home.

Supporting economic and social growth

The benefits of culture-led regeneration extend far beyond community engagement. Cultural investment can also play a significant role in supporting economic growth and delivering wider public sector priorities.

The economic and social value of culture is increasingly backed by evidence. Research commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) found that engagement with culture and heritage generates around £8 billion annually through improved health, wellbeing and productivity, highlighting the significant contribution cultural investment can make to both communities and local economies.

Vibrant cultural destinations often attract visitors, create opportunities for local businesses, contribute to a thriving night-time economy and help revitalise high streets.

Culture-led regeneration can help:

● Increase footfall in town and city centres
● Support local businesses and hospitality venues
● Create opportunities for creative industries to grow
● Attract investment and tourism
● Generate employment opportunities

Alongside economic benefits, culture also delivers important social outcomes. Cultural activities can improve wellbeing, reduce social isolation and create opportunities for people to connect with others in their community.

For local authorities, these outcomes align closely with wider objectives around inclusive growth, community wellbeing and place-based investment. As regeneration strategies continue to evolve, culture is increasingly recognised as a key contributor to long-term economic and social resilience.

The growing role of digital placemaking

While cultural activity often takes place in physical spaces, digital platforms are becoming increasingly important for supporting culture and placemaking initiatives.
Many towns and cities already have thriving creative communities, but artists, venues, organisations and community groups can often be difficult to discover. This can limit opportunities for collaboration, participation and growth.

Digital platforms help address these challenges by:

● Improving visibility for local creatives and organisations
● Encouraging collaboration across sectors
● Making cultural opportunities easier to access
● Supporting ongoing community engagement
● Creating lasting resources that continue to grow over time

A strong example of this approach is the Culture & Placemaking Directory Website developed by Perfect Circle in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council for its Rochdale Creates campaign. The partnership with Rochdale Borough Council was created to provide a dedicated platform that would showcase and connect the borough’s growing creative community.

The platform brings together artists, musicians, venues and cultural organisations from across the borough in a single searchable hub. Built on world-leading CMS technology, it allows users to submit and manage their own listings while giving the Rochdale Creates team a simple way to keep the platform updated and growing.

More importantly, the directory is helping strengthen connections across Rochdale’s creative sector. By making local talent and cultural organisations easier to discover, the platform encourages collaboration, increases visibility and supports the borough’s wider ambitions for cultural growth and placemaking.

The impact was immediate, with more than 100 creatives signing up within the first four weeks of launch, demonstrating the appetite for a platform that celebrates and supports local culture. The project demonstrates how digital placemaking can support community participation while helping local authorities deliver long-term regeneration goals.

Creating lasting community impact

The most successful regeneration projects don’t simply deliver improvements for communities. They create opportunities for communities to actively shape their future.
Culture-led regeneration works best when local people are involved from the beginning and have ongoing opportunities to contribute. Whether through events, creative programmes or digital platforms, community participation helps create a sense of ownership that can sustain momentum long after a project launches.

When culture is placed at the heart of regeneration, communities gain more than improved spaces. They gain stronger connections, greater pride and a shared sense of identity. Combined with digital tools that encourage participation and collaboration, culture-led regeneration can help create places that thrive for years to come.

Get in touch

If you’re planning a culture and placemaking project, especially one with a digital dimension, we’d love to help. As the UK’s leading social marketing agency, we combine cultural insight, community engagement and digital expertise to deliver projects that create lasting impact. Contact us today to start the conversation.

Technology is rightly seen as a major part of that future, but many organisations are discovering that technology alone doesn’t guarantee progress. Sustainable manufacturing succeeds when people adopt new systems, engage with sustainability goals and actively participate in change.

Businesses can introduce smarter systems and greener processes, but if employees don’t understand them, if stakeholders don’t trust them or if audiences fail to see their value, progress quickly stalls. That’s why more organisations are recognising that sustainability is not only a technical challenge but also a behaviour-change challenge.

Sustainability depends on people as much as processes

At Perfect Circle, we work with organisations that want to influence positive behaviours, simplify complex systems and create meaningful engagement around sustainability. As a behaviour change agency, our role isn’t to engineer manufacturing systems or develop materials innovation, but to help organisations communicate sustainability clearly and encourage long-term adoption.

Modern manufacturers need to communicate effectively with:

● Investors
● Partners
● Regulators
● Customers
● Researchers
● Employees

The organisations that succeed won’t simply be the ones with the best technology. They’ll be the ones who engage people most effectively, build stronger connections with their audiences and make sustainability easier for people to understand and act on.

Why communication is important

One of the biggest barriers facing sustainable manufacturing is complexity. Manufacturers often operate in highly technical environments filled with specialist systems, detailed compliance requirements and innovation-led processes that can feel inaccessible to wider audiences.

If sustainability messaging feels confusing or overly technical, organisations may experience:

● Lower engagement
● Reduced trust
● Missed collaboration opportunities
● Underused digital platforms
● Weaker stakeholder connections

Clear communication helps bridge that gap by transforming technical information into something more accessible, engaging and actionable. It creates clarity around sustainability goals, strengthens trust with stakeholders and helps organisations guide audiences towards meaningful action instead of simply presenting information and hoping engagement follows naturally.

Behaviour change turns sustainability ambition into action

This is where behaviour-change thinking becomes commercially valuable for manufacturing organisations. Behaviour change focuses on understanding what motivates people, the barriers they face and the influences on decision-making across different audiences and environments.

Whether the challenge involves:

● Increasing engagement with sustainability initiatives
● Improving adoption of digital systems
● Encouraging innovation partnerships
● Strengthening ESG communication

The principle remains the same. People are more likely to engage when experiences are designed around their needs, motivations and behaviours.

Supporting the future of sustainable manufacturing

This thinking shaped our recent work with the Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing Centre (SMMC), the UK’s flagship hub for materials innovation and industrial collaboration. SMMC chose Perfect Circle to create a future-ready digital platform that supports innovation, collaboration and sustainable growth across the manufacturing sector.

Rather than simply delivering a website, we focused on creating a platform that actively supports:

● Engagement
● Collaboration
● User action
● Innovation partnerships
● Long-term growth

Using behaviour-change principles, persona development and audience insight, we designed user journeys that work for manufacturers, researchers, funders, collaborators and innovation partners alike. The result is a scalable platform that helps audiences connect with opportunities, navigate information more easily and engage with sustainable manufacturing in a more meaningful way.

The future belongs to manufacturers who engage people effectively

The future of sustainable manufacturing will belong to organisations that understand the relationship between innovation and human behaviour. Technology will continue to transform the sector, but people will ultimately determine whether those transformations succeed in practice.

The organisations that communicate clearly, build trust, encourage collaboration and design systems around human behaviour will be the ones that create lasting impact.

Let’s Talk About What’s Next

At Perfect Circle, we help organisations bridge that gap through behaviour-led communication, strategic digital systems and audience-first thinking that turns sustainability ambition into meaningful action.

Planning your next digital project? Website, CRM, insight programme or all of the above, we’d love to help. Get in touch with us today.

But the social side of ESG still tends to be the hardest to pin down, and even harder to deliver in a way that feels real.

That’s because it doesn’t sit neatly in a spreadsheet. It shows up in how people behave, how they treat each other, and the decisions they make when no one’s watching. Even a well thought through social ESG strategy can struggle if it doesn’t take that into account.

What the “social” in ESG really means

At its core, the social pillar is about people. That might sound obvious, but it’s often where things get overlooked.

It covers areas such as:

● Employee wellbeing
● Inclusion and diversity
● Community impact
● Trust and ethical behaviour

All of these rely on consistency over time, not one-off initiatives or top-down messaging. That’s why many ESG engagement strategies don’t quite land. There’s usually no shortage of communication or intent, but there’s often a gap when it comes to how those ideas actually translate into everyday behaviour.

The gap between ambition and action

If you look at most organisations on paper, the ambition is there. There are defined ESG social impact goals, clear policies and regular updates.

But step back and look at what’s actually happening day to day, and it can feel different. Initiatives don’t always get the traction they’re expected to. People are aware of them, but not necessarily acting on them. ESG can start to feel like something that sits alongside the business rather than being part of it.

That disconnect isn’t unusual. It’s just human nature. People tend to follow habits, respond to what others around them are doing, and default to what feels easiest in the moment. Knowing the right thing doesn’t always mean it becomes the natural thing to do.

If ESG is going to make a genuine difference, it needs to work with those behaviours, not assume they’ll change on their own.

What are behavioural insights in ESG?

This is where behavioural insights ESG starts to make a difference.

It’s essentially about understanding how people really make decisions, not how we think they should. It looks at the small influences that shape behaviour, including:

● Habits and routines
● Bias and perception
● Social cues and peer influence
● The environment people operate in

Instead of relying solely on instructions or policies, it focuses on making the right behaviour feel obvious, easy, and part of the flow of everyday work. That’s what makes it so effective for behaviour change sustainability, where consistency matters far more than intention.

How to uncover behavioural insights for ESG

Understanding behaviour isn’t about guesswork. It comes from taking a closer look at how people actually interact with your organisation, rather than how you expect them to.

A good starting point is to explore where there’s already a gap between intention and action. If an initiative isn’t landing, there’s usually a behavioural reason behind it.
In practice, that often means:

• Looking at real behaviour, not just reported attitudes or survey responses
• Identifying friction points where processes feel difficult, unclear or time-consuming
• Observing how social norms influence decisions across teams
• Analysing where people default to easier or more familiar choices
• Speaking to employees and stakeholders to understand what’s getting in the way

Data plays a role here, but so does context. Behavioural insight comes from combining both, using what people say alongside what they actually do.

From there, organisations can start to test small changes, adjusting how choices are presented, simplifying actions, or introducing subtle prompts to guide behaviour. Over time, these small shifts build a clearer picture of what works and where real change can happen.

How behavioural insight strengthens the social side of ESG

One of the biggest shifts behavioural insight brings is moving away from the idea that awareness leads to action. In reality, most people already know what they should be doing. The challenge is making it happen consistently.

That might mean simplifying processes to reduce friction, or changing how choices are presented so the better option feels like the natural choice. When done well, it doesn’t feel forced; it just fits.

It also helps ESG become part of everyday decision-making rather than something separate. By integrating human behaviour ESG principles into existing workflows, organisations can ensure people don’t have to go out of their way to do the right thing.

Culture plays a big role here too. Policies set direction, but culture is shaped by what people see around them. When positive behaviours are visible and shared, they become normal. That’s how ESG culture change really takes hold, gradually rather than all at once.

There’s also a noticeable difference in how people engage. When ESG feels like something being imposed, it’s easy to switch off. When it feels relevant and achievable, people are far more likely to take part. Over time, that leads to stronger stakeholder behaviour ESG across the organisation.

Another benefit is that it makes progress easier to understand. The social side of ESG has always been harder to measure, but behavioural approaches allow for testing, learning and adjusting along the way. It’s a more practical way to address common ESG implementation challenges because it’s based on what actually works in real-world situations.

Why this matters now

There’s a noticeable shift happening in how ESG is being judged. It’s no longer enough to publish targets or highlight intentions. People want to see what’s changed and whether it’s made a difference.

Without a focus on behaviour, there’s a risk that ESG starts to feel surface-level. The language is there, the reporting is there, but the day-to-day reality doesn’t move in the same direction.

That’s where behavioural insights ESG becomes so important. It connects the strategy with what actually happens in practice, helping organisations turn good intentions into something more tangible.

The organisations that will make the most progress are those that take the time to understand how people behave and build their approach around that understanding. When they do, the social side of ESG shifts from messaging to momentum.

Because in the end, ESG isn’t something people read. It’s something they do.

Our Expertise

We’ve been creating highly successful social marketing campaigns for our customers for over two decades. We love our work and utilise the latest marketing communication tools and customer insight techniques, including ethnographic research and co-creation workshops.

This enables us to develop and integrate marketing concepts with other approaches to influence behaviour in ways that benefit individuals and entire communities for the greater good.

Within our team, we have leading, nationally recognised academic professionals in Psychology, Mental Health, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy who advise on which messages and media will deliver the best response when we scope a communications campaign or deliver any targeted communications.

This provides our clients with the reassurance and confidence that their communication objectives are underpinned by recognised academic behavioural theory, executed with award-winning creative design, and delivered using the latest Marketing Automation communication tools, whether on a local, regional, or national project.

Perfect Circle has delivered social change for clients such as schools, local government, not-for-profit organisations, the health sector, and niche commercial businesses, and we’re really proud of what we’ve done so far.

If you’d like our help on your next Behaviour Change Marketing or Social Marketing campaign, we’d love to hear from you. Please visit our contact page and get in touch.

What began as a creative co-creation process has now evolved into a public-facing cultural festival celebrating the voices, creativity and identity of young people across Rochdale.

Working alongside Rochdale Creates, Perfect Circle supported the development of the FAB identity,  helping translate youth-led ideas into a visual brand that could live beyond workshops and become something visible, recognisable and owned by the community.

The result was FAB: Freedom. Amazement. Belonging.

A youth arts festival designed to bring Rochdale town centre to life through performance, creativity and participation.

Building a Brand from Community Input

The FAB project was rooted in participation.

Engagement activity led by Rochdale Creates gathered ideas, themes and creative thinking from young people across the borough, helping shape the foundations of the festival identity.

Perfect Circle’s role focused on translating these early concepts into visual directions that could communicate energy, inclusivity and cultural ownership.

Rather than creating a fixed brand in isolation, the process remained collaborative, allowing creative routes to be shared, refined and developed through continued feedback.

The final identity reflected the spirit of the young people involved: expressive, colourful and intentionally varied.

From Identity to Activation

What makes FAB particularly powerful is that the identity did not stop at design.

The project extended into a live festival experience, transforming ideas developed through community engagement into something visible across Rochdale town centre.

Across two days, FAB introduced a programme of theatre, live music, dance, poetry, circus performance, murals, exhibitions and creative workshops designed to celebrate young talent and participation.

The festival became a platform for self-expression, showcasing the creativity of local children and young people while helping strengthen cultural identity across the borough.

Visitors were encouraged to explore multiple venues and activities across the town, creating a shared experience that connected people, place and participation.

More Than a Festival

FAB represents more than an event.

It demonstrates how co-creation can move beyond consultation and become something tangible, creating a lasting identity that people recognise and feel connected to.

By turning youth-led thinking into a public-facing cultural brand, the project helped create ownership, confidence and visibility for a new generation of voices.

The festival also reflects a wider ambition within Rochdale to support cultural participation, strengthen belonging and create opportunities for young people to shape the future of their town.

Why Community Co-Creation Matters

Community co-creation works best when ideas are not simply collected but meaningfully translated into outcomes.

For FAB, that meant moving from early creative thinking into a fully realised identity capable of supporting a live cultural experience.

The process demonstrated how branding can become more than visual design acting instead as a bridge between participation, place and community ownership.

As towns increasingly invest in culture-led regeneration and youth participation, projects like FAB show the value of giving people a visible role in shaping what their communities become.

Related Reading

 
• Project Overview: Community Co-Creation

This is why local identity plays such an important role in successful placemaking projects. When developments reflect the character, culture and creativity of an area, they don’t just improve the built environment. They strengthen communities and support wider regeneration goals.

Across towns and cities, culture and placemaking are increasingly central to public sector strategy. Local authorities are recognising that arts, heritage, public spaces and community engagement all contribute to stronger local economies, improved wellbeing and vibrant town centres.

When placemaking reflects local identity, it can also support wider initiatives such as high street renewal, cultural tourism and place-based investment.

Why local identity matters

Every community has its own story. It may be shaped by its heritage, its landscape or the creative energy of the people who live and work there. Successful placemaking projects recognise these qualities and build them into how places are designed, experienced and promoted.

When developments ignore local identity, they often struggle to connect with the people they are meant to serve. Spaces can feel generic or disconnected from their surroundings, which makes it harder for communities to develop a sense of ownership.

By contrast, when placemaking and community identity are closely aligned, places become more meaningful and memorable. Local culture becomes part of the everyday experience of a place, helping communities feel recognised and valued.

Many public sector organisations are now investing in projects that use culture as a driver for regeneration. These initiatives combine creative activity, community engagement and public space to support a stronger local identity. You can explore examples of this approach in Perfect Circle’s culture and placemaking projects.

Designing with the community in mind

Successful placemaking projects often begin by listening to the people who know the area best. Local residents, artists and organisations have valuable insight into what makes a place distinctive and how spaces are used in everyday life.

Engaging with communities early in the process helps uncover the elements that matter most. These might include heritage landmarks, creative networks, local events or spaces where people naturally gather.

When these insights shape the design process, placemaking becomes more authentic. The resulting spaces feel connected to the area’s identity rather than imposed upon it.

This approach also strengthens long-term engagement. When people see their culture, history, and creativity reflected in a place, they are more likely to feel proud of it and contribute to its ongoing success.

Celebrating culture through place

Local culture is one of the most powerful drivers of placemaking. When cultural activities are visible and accessible, they encourage people to explore their surroundings and engage with the communities around them.

A strong example of this can be seen in Rochdale, which has been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025 to 2026. The year-long programme celebrates the borough’s creativity through festivals, exhibitions and community events designed to bring people together and showcase local talent.

At the centre of this cultural ecosystem sits the Rochdale Creates platform. Perfect Circle partnered with Rochdale Borough Council to design and build the directory website, bringing together artists, venues and cultural organisations into a single hub.

The platform continues to support the borough’s cultural momentum during the Town of Culture celebrations. As highlighted in Helping Rochdale Creates celebrate Rochdale’s Year of Culture, the directory has become a focal point for connecting the creative community and showcasing the breadth of talent across the borough.

This kind of ambition is being echoed elsewhere. In Calderdale, communities are coming together to support Halifax’s bid for Town of Culture status, with a shared vision to deliver an inspiring cultural programme that reflects the area’s identity and creativity.

Creating places people care about

Ultimately, successful placemaking projects create places people care about. When local identity is recognised and celebrated, communities are more likely to connect with their surroundings and take pride in them.

Culture and placemaking initiatives that combine community engagement, creative storytelling and digital platforms can transform how people experience a place. By bringing together artists, organisations and audiences, they help ensure that local identity continues to shape the future of towns and cities.

When placemaking reflects the stories and creativity of the people who live there, it becomes more than a development project. It becomes a shared expression of place.

Get in touch
If you’re looking to commission a culture and placemaking project, especially one with a digital dimension, talk to us. We know this space, and as the UK’s leading social marketing agency, we know how to deliver. Contact us today.

What traditional consultation looks like

Traditional consultation is mostly one-way. The organisation defines the problem, suggests a solution, and then asks stakeholders for feedback. This can involve surveys, meetings, or written responses. Often, this feedback comes late in the process, after important decisions are already made.

The problem is that people may feel they are being talked at instead of listened to. Ideas are constrained by fixed options, leaving little room to question assumptions or try new ones. Consultation can meet governance requirements, but it does not always create real change or shared ownership.

What makes co-creation different

Co-creation workshops take a different approach. Rather than giving answers, organisations bring stakeholders into the problem-solving process from the beginning. Clients, communities, partners, and teams work together to define challenges, identify opportunities, and create solutions.

These sessions rely on structured co-creation methods that encourage collaboration, creativity and open discussion. Participants aren’t just responding to questions; they’re actively building ideas together. Well-designed co-creation techniques help balance voices in the room, uncover hidden insights and move groups towards practical outcomes everyone can support.

Read our blog to learn more about how co-creation workshops were used to refine concepts that helped Nestlé Purina and Sheffield University take a new approach to dog obesity.

Key differences in approach and outcomes

The main difference is in the mindset. Traditional consultation takes feedback on ideas that others have already formed. Co-creation, on the other hand, encourages shared thinking and joint decision-making.

With co-creation methods, people learn together and quickly. Assumptions are tested early, and ideas grow through open discussion instead of private meetings. Thoughtful co-creation techniques keep sessions on track but still leave space for creativity and challenge.

In comparison, consultation usually leads to small changes. Co-creation often yields more creative solutions because it draws on real experiences and diverse viewpoints from the outset.

Why this difference really matters

Choosing co-creation workshops isn’t just about running sessions; it’s about making them more engaging. It leads to better results. When people help create a solution, they are more likely to trust, support, and promote it even after the workshop is over. Fewer obstacles during delivery because potential issues are identified early.

Stakeholders feel a sense of ownership, which reduces resistance and builds momentum. Strong co-creation methods also help organisations move faster by aligning people early rather than trying to win buy-in later.

There’s also a cultural benefit. Co-creation signals that collaboration matters. Over time, this can strengthen relationships, build confidence and create a more open way of working across organisations and communities.

When co-creation is the right choice

Co-creation isn’t always necessary. Simple updates or compliance-driven exercises may still suit traditional consultation. But when challenges are complex, sensitive or involve multiple stakeholders, co-creation methods come into their own.

Using the right co-creation techniques is especially valuable when trust needs to be built, behaviours need to change or solutions must work in the real world, not just on paper. In these situations, shared understanding is just as important as the final output.

Bringing it all together

At its heart, co-creation workshops are about doing things with people, not to them. Compared to traditional consultation, they offer deeper insight, stronger relationships and more resilient outcomes. By embracing proven co-creation approaches, organisations can move beyond feedback and towards solutions that truly work for everyone involved.

Our Expertise

We’ve been creating highly successful social marketing campaigns for our customers for over two decades. We love our work and utilise the latest marketing communication tools and customer insight techniques, including ethnographic research and co-creation workshops.

This enables us to develop and integrate marketing concepts with other approaches to influence behaviour in ways that benefit individuals and entire communities for the greater good.
Within our team, we have leading, nationally recognised academic professionals in Psychology, Mental Health, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy who advise on which messages and media will deliver the best response when we scope a communications campaign or deliver any targeted communications.

This provides our clients with the reassurance and confidence that their communication objectives are underpinned by recognised academic behavioural theory, executed with award-winning creative design, and delivered using the latest Marketing Automation communication tools, whether on a local, regional, or national project.

Perfect Circle has delivered social change for clients such as schools, local government, not-for-profit organisations, the health sector, and niche commercial businesses, and we’re really proud of what we’ve done so far.

If you’d like our help on your next Behaviour Change Marketing or Social Marketing campaign, we’d love to hear from you. Please visit our contact page and get in touch.

Marketing automation improved this model by helping organisations deliver the right content to the right audience at the right time.

But a new phase of digital engagement is now emerging, one where websites no longer simply present information they begin to participate in conversations.

From Websites To Intelligent Interfaces

Most websites still rely on visitors navigating menus, reading pages and interpreting complex information themselves.

Artificial intelligence is beginning to change that dynamic.

Instead of searching through content, visitors will increasingly interact with intelligent digital interfaces that guide them through information, explain solutions and help them reach the right outcome faster.

These interfaces may take several forms.

• Conversational Website Interfaces — Websites that allow visitors to ask questions and receive answers in real time.
• Chatbots And AI Assistants — Software tools that guide visitors, answer questions and help people find the right information more quickly.
• AI-Driven Digital Advisors — Intelligent systems that combine data, context and behavioural insight to provide more personalised guidance.
• Interactive Product Guidance Systems — Tools that help users explore products or services and understand complex options through guided interaction.
• Avatar-Led Digital Engagement — AI-powered digital personas that can present information, explain concepts and interact with visitors in a more human way.

In this model, the website becomes less like a library and more like a knowledgeable guide.

The Rise Of AI-Assisted Sales Experiences

In many B2B environments, the early stages of a buying journey are often dominated by research and exploration.

Prospective customers want to understand whether a solution is relevant to their organisation before engaging directly with a sales team.

AI interfaces have the potential to support this process by acting as an intelligent first point of interaction.

Rather than filling out forms or downloading documents, visitors may simply ask questions and receive guided explanations in real time.

These systems can help organisations:

• Guide Visitors To Relevant Information More Quickly
• Explain Complex Products Or Services
• Identify Visitor Needs And Interests
• Connect Prospects With The Right Human Expert

The Human Question

As AI interfaces become more capable, organisations will inevitably ask an important question.

Will people prefer interacting with machines, or will human connection become even more valuable?

Human relationships remain central to trust, particularly in complex B2B environments.

People value empathy, experience and genuine conversation — qualities that are difficult for technology to fully replicate.

However, people also value speed, convenience and immediate access to information.

This is where AI excels.

The Handshake Between AI And Humans

The future of digital engagement is unlikely to be a choice between AI and humans.

Instead, the most effective experiences will combine both.

AI systems can manage the early stages of engagement — answering questions, guiding exploration and helping visitors understand available solutions.

As conversations become more nuanced, the interaction can transition naturally to a human specialist who brings deeper insight, empathy and experience.

This creates what might be described as a digital handshake between AI and human expertise.

Automation As The Foundation For AI

While AI may transform how organisations interact with audiences, these systems do not operate in isolation.

Marketing automation platforms provide the data, structure and communication frameworks that intelligent systems rely upon.

Audience insight, behavioural signals and communication workflows all form part of the infrastructure that allows AI-driven engagement to operate effectively.

In many ways, automation is not replaced by AI — it becomes the foundation that enables it.

Exploring The Next Generation Of Digital Engagement

At Perfect Circle we have already begun exploring how conversational digital interfaces may shape the next generation of digital engagement.

Working with emerging avatar and AI technologies, we have been experimenting with ways organisations might guide visitors through complex information in a more natural and engaging way.

These experiments are not about replacing human relationships, but about understanding how digital platforms can support more meaningful and efficient interactions.

A New Chapter In Marketing

Marketing began as communication.

It evolved into automation.

Now it is becoming conversational, adaptive and increasingly intelligent.

The organisations that succeed in this next phase will not simply deploy new technology.

They will design digital experiences where AI and humans work together to help people understand complex problems and make better decisions.

P.S. The image above is an AI-generated avatar. Our Director kindly donated his likeness for the experiment. The technology clearly decided to give him a heavy-duty marketing time warp upgrade. One day this version may well be the one greeting you on our website.