Rugby Place brand

An evolving embroidery connecting the town's past, present and future.

View along a town-centre street towards the tall spire of St Andrew's Church

A new brand to boost Rugby 's identity

The Rugby place brand narrative celebrates our character and shapes how we present our town. Rugby is a place of pride and possibility, rooted in heritage, powered by innovation and shaped by the people who call it home. Made for living, our town is welcoming, vibrant and ready for what comes next. From our strong sense of community to our green spaces, culture and connectivity, Rugby is a town with plenty happening now and even more to come.

Built on our shared values, the place brand empowers us and our stakeholders to champion a story that promotes Rugby as a great place to live, play, visit and invest. It’s a shared invitation for residents, businesses, and communities to help tell Rugby’s story, attract new opportunities and celebrate what makes our town special. Together, we take shared ownership of our evolving narrative and the future of the town.

Street of terraced shops beneath the tower and spire of St Andrew's Church

Why is it important?

Rugby’s place brand captures who we are, what we stand for, and where we are going together. It brings clarity and consistency to how we talk about Rugby, helping people understand what the town offers and what it feels like to be a part of it. It brings to life a set of four core values and a visual identity that everyone can use, from organisations to businesses, charities to stakeholders, Rugby Borough Council, and beyond.

Whether you’re welcoming new residents, promoting local experiences, attracting visitors or encouraging investment, the place brand offers a confident and positive way to speak with one voice.

It celebrates our heritage while moving confidently into the future. A strong place brand distinguishes our town by highlighting what we do brilliantly, uniquely, and by shaping the way we present ourselves. It helps us stand out, build local pride and showcase Rugby as a place people believe in and want to be a part of.

Person in a red top walking through a park at golden hour among trees and flowers

What is the aim?

A place brand illustrates what Rugby stands for and what makes it different. Building pride in our town, our place brand attracts investment opportunities, fosters a shared sense of belonging and strengthens recognition.

The Rugby place brand gives our town a clear and shared identity that celebrates what makes us distinctive, honours our heritage and sets our shared ambitions for the future.

Sunlit town-centre street with trees and striped market stalls

Your role

The place brand has been developed as a shared resource for all stakeholders to access and use. It’s designed to be flexible and easy to adopt, whether you’re a business, organisation, community group, or partner. By adopting the shared values and accessible brand assets, we can amplify one consistent message about our town.

This includes using the core values in everyday decision-making and endorsing them within your organisation. Together, we create a stronger, more recognisable voice for the town and a foundation for growth and belonging – now and into the future.

Rugby’s core values

The core values set a clear, honest and aspirational perspective that anchors Rugby’s future direction.

Town-centre street decorated with bunting above terraced shops under a blue sky

1. A PEOPLE-CENTRED TOWN – CLOSE, CONNECTED & CONVENIENT

Rugby is a compact, well-connected town where essentials are within easy reach, fostering a thriving, accessible, and walkable environment that balances small town community with big town ambition.

Interior of a studio space with tall arched windows, a wooden floor and dark drapes, young people perform in the space

2. A TOWN OF ACTION – PLAY, PERFORM, PARTICIPATE

A town that embraces sport, creativity, and social interaction, making Rugby a place where people come together—on the pitch, on stage, and in public spaces—to energise its cultural life and sense of community.

Schoolchildren in uniform taking part in a craft activity at a table

3. LEARNING FOR LIFE – INNOVATION, SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

A centre for inclusive, high-quality education and lifelong learning, from top-performing schools to adult learning institutions, ensuring Rugby remains a town of opportunity, ambition, and forward-thinking innovation.

Crowd at a multicultural street celebration with colourful paper lanterns

4. STRONGER TOGETHER – A COMMUNITY THAT CARES

Built on teamwork, inclusion, and social action, where people support one another and take pride in their community. With a strong voluntary sector and growing diversity, Rugby fosters a welcoming, connected, and resilient community where everyone has a role to play.

Stylised pale blue icon of a building

Visual identity

The original Rugby colour palette was launched in spring 2024, funded by Avanti West Coast and the Heart of England Community Rail Partnership, currently displayed at Rugby train station. This palette was inspired by the local people, celebrating our town’s character and identity.

Building on this foundation, the new Rugby place brand palette retains the essence of the original colour palette while meeting EU accessibility standards, ensuring all assets are inclusive and easy to use across all materials.

Playful, community-spirited and creatively driven, Rugby’s visual identity is balanced with a modern feel that reflects the town’s personality.

Inspired by the people, places and everyday moments that make Rugby unique, the illustrations and visual identity elements work seamlessly across signage, digital platforms, public spaces and campaign materials.

Stylised pale blue spark plug icon

The evolution of the place brand

CT Consults and Hemmingway Design were commissioned by Rugby Borough Council to carry out a comprehensive consultation, using a range of tools to listen, learn and understand our town and people.

Working with residents, businesses, Warwickshire County Council, bus and taxi operators, and community organisations, CT Consults and Hemmingway Design explored what makes Rugby stand out.

As a result, the core values that form the place brand were developed using real insight, reflecting Rugby today and setting a clear direction for the future.

Infographic on the Rugby place-brand engagement: liaison with town-centre masterplan programmes, twenty individual and focus group consultations, sixty stakeholders attending masterclasses, plus comparator case studies and audit exercises Infographic on the place-brand process showing site tours and key meetings, comparator case studies and audit exercises, and twenty individual and focus group consultations

Contact Us

If you have an upcoming project and would like to use the Rugby place brand materials, the toolkit and assets are available on request.

Get in touch

 

Get in touch

Stuck for ideas?
Drop us a line.

Our visitor team lives, works and plays here — ask anything from "best Sunday roast" to "where can I watch the game?" and we'll point you in the right direction.

Email
[email protected]
Call
01788 533 217
Visit
Little Elborow St, Rugby, CV21 3BZ
Opening times
Tue–Fri 10am–5pm
Sat 10am–4pm
Sun & Mon closed

Credits

Images courtesy of Visit Warwickshire, helping bring the county's stories to life. Explore itineraries and inspiration for things to do at visit.warwickshire.gov.uk.