Yorkshire Forward is the UK's largest Regional Development Agency. One of the problems all the RDAs faced when they were set up was how to communicate the nuances of what they do to their many audiences. Yorkshire Forward were having real problems getting the message across, especially to the business community.

We were appointed to reposition their brand, without changing any of the corporate identity elements that had been put in place four years earlier.

Marketing was channelled through specific involvement in project areas, so it became clear that we would need to reposition the brand using their existing marketing channels. This was going to be about having a single-minded proposition and a tone of voice that would make a real connection with their key audiences.

Our answer was to engage the people whose lives and businesses were changed by Yorkshire Forward's involvement. This would make their proposition clear, truthful and above all – compelling.

We started by using a channel that was currently unused – the reverse side of all their stationery. We researched Yorkshire Forward's most recent activity and found a series of case studies that would lend themselves to articulating the RDA's key project areas.

We interviewed and photographed the people behind the stories and got their permission to use their cases in the RDA's marketing. The RDA had made a real difference to these people, so they were only too happy to oblige. We called these little gems 'Small Stories'.

We took this central thought and produced a set of PDF guidelines so that the RDA could manage everything from language and tone of voice to photographic style. We designed and produced most of their materials, giving us a unique opportunity to demonstrate just how adaptable and flexible the proposition could be. We then developed the 'We see' campaign, clearly positioning Yorkshire Forward as the driving, visionary organisation of the region.

Several years on, the proposition remains. For the most recent Annual Report, we devised a theme of partnership which we designed in the format of a magazine and the Small Stories still feature throughout with headlines like 'Potential needs a partner' and 'Ambition needs a partner'.