A project to rebrand Liverpool Cathedral will be delivered by local agency Poke Marketing after it beat off competition from 18 other firms across the UK. Tony McDonough reports

Creative agency Poke Marketing has secured a contract to work on the rebrand of Liverpool Cathedral – beating off competition from 18 other agencies.

Liverpool-based Poke, which was established back in 2020 by director Andrew Binns, will be tasked with telling the story of the cathedral and its diverse offering. One of Poke’s key tasks is to ‘help to bring digital technology’ into the 98-year-old venue’s thinking.

Liverpool Cathedral, often referred to locally as the ‘Anglican Cathedral’, is the biggest cathedral in the UK and the fifth-biggest in the world. It is one of two cathedrals in the city. The other is the Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.

It welcomes more than 800,000 visitors every year, including locals and people from across the UK and all over the world.

It is not only a place of worship, but it has also built a reputation for its varied arts and events programme, featuring live music sets to large gala dinners and conferences.

There are 67 full-time staff employed by Liverpool Cathedral with around 180 volunteers. It remains committed to keeping entry free to all, despite receiving no Government funding or subsidy.

Rev Canon Stuart Haynes, assistant diocesan secretary and director of communications, said: “It’s key that Liverpool Cathedral not only stands shoulder to shoulder with other leading venues, but also stands out and communicates its offer clearly.

“Our ambition is as strong as our team, and it is key that our brand is now developed to better align with the values and aspirations at the heart of the venue.”

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Poke will organise a number of workshops with stakeholders from Liverpool Cathedral’s in-house team and external stakeholders. 

Strategy lead, Nicola Docking added: “We can’t wait to tell the story behind the brand of such an iconic building. For us, it’s about clearly navigating visitors through the world-class cathedral and encouraging exploration.

“We believe that the space should be all about people because there is that sense of belonging. The sense of pride, the sense of embracing people, the sense of representing this wonderful city is articulated incredibly in the way people talk about Liverpool Cathedral.”