Vbase explains reasons for Venues Ōtautahi brand change

Vbase, the Christchurch City Council owned venue management company, has explained the reasons for changing its brand to Ōtautahi .

In a statement today, Vbase advised the $49,000 rebranding “makes clear who we are and what we do - we are Ōtautahi and we operate venues.

“Secondly, it supports our intention to refocus on marketing the venues, not the company … and, it supports the company’s local procurement strategy.”

Advising that the $49,000 cost includes all costs associated with creating the name and the brand’s visual identity, as well as all physical office and venue signage, the statement added “by undertaking the change now, the overall cost impact is lessened as we needed to replace or restock a number of things such as uniforms, stationery and website. This meant the change is being done within our annual budget and no additional funding is required.”

McCarthy, a local design and branding agency, was engaged to support Vbase in the change to Venues Ōtautahi.

The Vbase statement also went on to advise that it now sources 71% of all food and beverage product from Canterbury, a significant change from the pre-Coronavirus environment where, as at o April 2020, that figure was 5%.

As for the remaining 29% of products now soured, 7% comes from the rest of the South Island and 16% from North Island (16%) - with only 6% of product coming from overseas.

Prior to April 2020, 30% of products were imported and 50% were from the North Island.

It advised “this change in approach has not only delivered an additional economic impact to the region of $800,000 of direct contribution to Canterbury suppliers between August 2020 and January 2021, but also means clients and guests attending events at the venues experience the highest quality of food and beverage our region has to offer.”

It also advised that just 25% of its funds come from the Christchurch City Council with 75% of the Company’s annual revenue coming directly from the attraction and delivery of events across the venue portfolio.

It added “the $2.5 million of annual operating grant funding currently provided to the Company contributes to the annual fixed costs of $2.7 million associated with managing the city’s facilities and assets. These include for example insurance, repairs and maintenance and building compliance costs.

“COVID-19 has had a severe financial impact on the Company. To survive, recover and be successful in the future, Vbase has had to make major changes to the business and must continue to do so as the volatility of the environment remains.

“Supporting the community and local business is at the heart of everything the Company does.”

Image: Vbase/Venues Ōtautahi own as manages the Christchurch Town Hall (as well as the Christchurch Arena on behalf of the people of Christchurch). It also manages the Airforce Museum of NZ, Orangetheory Stadium and Hagley Oval on behalf of other venue owners.