Lääne-Virumaa – uncover #viruful

The county of Lääne-Virumaa, situated in the North-East of Estonia, consists of one town and seven municipalities, each boasting its own rich history, culture, traditions, and landmarks. While people may be familiar with these places individually, there is often a limited perception of Lääne-Virumaa as a cohesive entity. Yet, delving deeper proves to be an enriching experience.

The Lääne-Viru community was determined to bridge this gap and showcase the diverse richness within its borders. Collaborating across different municipalities, they aimed to present Lääne-Virumaa as a united entity, offering unique and alternative ways to explore the region and highlighting why it’s a great place to live.

We were tasked by Lääne-Viru Omavalitsuste Liit (VIROL, Union of Lääne-Viru Municipalities) with creating a visual identity and a place marketing strategy for the area. For the latter, we partnered up with marketing strategist Anna Kuulmann.

Inspiring enough for poems

Make no mistake, it’s the residents who know their hometown best. In order to get to know the region, we conducted a survey, collecting memories and stories from residents, summer vacationers and friends of Lääne-Virumaa. The participation was great and the feedback was heartfelt, open and creative.

Even a poem arrived, which is only a testament to the emotional force Lääne-Virumaa possesses.

In tandem with the survey, we conducted numerous co-creation workshops, ensuring that the strategy supported business goals and that the brand reflected real life. Local people, entrepreneurs and investors participated.

What we found out was, that Lääne-Virumaa serves as a microcosm for Estonia as a whole. In Lääne-Virumaa you can gather many different types of experiences, making it an ideal place to work, relax, raise a family, and truly live life.

How would you describe viruful?

As Lääne-Viru is enchanting and somewhat mysterious, it deserved a distinctive solution for self-expression. So we turned the place name into an adjective. The hashtag #viruful or #virupärane embodies character, pride, and uniqueness. It promises to offer experiences and moments that are beyond the ordinary, describing a sense of self-discovery found when visiting the county.

Our starting point in creating visuals was to highlight and bring to life the unique landmarks of all the municipalities in the county. The color palette reflects just how colorful the county is.

Each municipality has its very own illustration

Now, we simply invite you to visit Lääne-Virumaa and discover its charms for yourself because they are truly worth exploring.