NSW Government
Strategy / Value Proposition / Research

Repositioning Sydney’s most iconic retail precinct

The Rocks creative being viewed on a tablet
Challenge

A vibrant destination on the shores of Sydney Harbour, The Rocks was in need of repositioning to dispel perceptions that the precinct was a tourist-only zone. Custodians of The Rocks, Place Management New South Wales (PMNSW), approached I.M.A to create a new narrative and positioning for the location, targeting key decision makers and communicating the many benefits of leasing at the precinct.

A child getting their face painted with glow in the dark paint in the rocks, Sydney
People exploring the rocks, Sydney

Our thinking

After an initial brief, we conducted in-depth, face-to-face interviews with a range of tenants at The Rocks, uncovering insights and the highlights of their tenancies. This first-hand research led us to understand the key drivers and motivations for basing themselves at the precinct.

From here we developed a B2B value proposition that promoted The Rocks as Sydney’s most loved social village and the city’s most iconic precinct. Our message highlighted the many attractions of the precinct, its appeal to a broad demographic cross section, and the location’s easy accessibility to other areas of the CBD.

Creative

Developed to target premium retailers, quality food and beverage outlets and artists considering establishing a presence at The Rocks, the leasing tool featured strong and compelling B2B messaging. The new narrative was supported by key quantitative data, which was interlaced with personal stories from existing precinct tenants. Strong visual elements were also applied, capturing the beauty and diversity of the precinct, further assisting PMNSW leasing teams to create a complete picture of the location to help entice prospects.

A bar at night in the rocks, Sydney
A bar in the rocks with beer taps on marble counter
Couple walking in front of vertical garden with neon sign called the Rocks Markets
Results

A key outcome of the project was a clear new B2B positioning for The Rocks as a complete dining, retail and experience-driven destination, making it attractive to a range of businesses.

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