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Milton Keynes City Council

A new direction

Milton Keynes City Council · Civic & Public, Transport

Brief

The initiative needed to connect with a broad audience of residents, businesses and visitors, encouraging a shift away from car dependency towards more sustainable transport choices. Previous communications lacked clarity and cohesion, making it difficult for people to understand the different options available or how to navigate between them. The challenge was to create a system that felt familiar enough to build trust, while introducing a clearer and more intuitive way to move through the city.

Approach

We developed a structured identity and communication system designed to simplify movement across the network. Building on the existing council palette, we introduced a colour-coded framework to distinguish between different modes of transport. This allows users to quickly understand their options and navigate between them with minimal effort. A perspective-based grid was created to bring consistency across communications, working alongside a new illustrative style to add clarity without overcomplicating the message. This system translates across signage, campaigns and digital touchpoints, ensuring everything feels connected. We also developed a flexible wayfinding approach based on the brand’s chevron form, reshaped into directional markers that guide users through redways, green spaces and public transport routes. Alongside this, a new icon set and comprehensive guidelines were created to ensure the system can evolve while remaining clear and recognisable. The result is a communication system that makes movement easier to understand, helping people navigate the city with greater confidence.

Brand + Strategy Marketing + Content Events + Activation Film + Animation