Aster Group

When Aster Group contacted us, they were sending printed magazines to each tenant regularly, with costs becoming incredibly high. As part of a wider digital transformation, they wanted to explore new communication methods without excluding those who weren’t online.

We worked with Aster Group on unique illustrations and print materials to support online and tenant communications. The illustrations were designed as assets representing communities supported by Aster across the south of the UK, injecting personality back into their communications while supporting a strategic shift toward digital channels.

We began by designing a new suite of graphics and illustrations to inject personality into Aster’s communications. The illustrations featured characters, scenery, and icons, demonstrating key community elements including different ages, pets, professions, and house styles. They were formed from the original Aster logo’s plectrum-shaped icon, creating a cohesive brand identity.

While reducing overall print volume, we established that some printed material was still needed for residents. Instead of magazines, we created quick-reference materials with key information designed to encourage retention. These folded to A6 size for posting through doors, containing topical information, quick access to phone numbers, and relevant updates, drastically reducing costs while maintaining physical touchpoints.

We incorporated the new illustrations into infographics for both internal communication (strategy documents) and resident-facing topics, including Universal Credit, Managing Money, Reporting Community Issues, and Direct Debits. These were informative yet lighthearted and easy to digest, distributed via monthly email newsletters, website, and broken into social media graphics for Facebook and Twitter, reaching residents who missed emails or post.

We created flexible HTML email templates with modular blocks for quick newsletter creation, tested extensively for mobile and desktop. Built and deployed via Campaign Monitor to Aster’s considerable resident database with positive feedback. Facebook and Twitter distributed key information based on newsletter and infographic themes. Regular posts and a responsive social media approach dramatically improved engagement, with more residents choosing to interact online.

The transformation achieved a 60% increase in sign-ups for online communications, demonstrating successful digital adoption among residents. Social media engagement increased 35%, showing residents were responding positively to the new visual approach and consistent messaging across channels.

Print costs were dramatically reduced by replacing expensive magazines with streamlined direct mail pieces. The custom illustration system provided Aster with flexible assets for ongoing communications across all channels. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many residents preferring online communication as a quick way to receive and digest information, while those offline still received essential updates through redesigned print materials.

• Custom illustration system built from brand logo created cohesive identity across all channels
• Strategic shift from costly magazines to digital-first approach with targeted print reduced expenses
• Multi-channel distribution ensured no residents were excluded during digital transformation