In December 2019, Deakin University was granted $2m in Australian government funding to set-up a new hydrogen research centre at its Warrnambool campus. It is the first step to establishing Australia’s only facility that tests hydrogen technologies at scale – in fuel cells for heavy transport and technologies enabling hydrogen to replace natural gas across the reticulated network.

Ellis Jones worked with Deakin University to launch a ground-breaking new venture, a hydrogen research centre at its Warrnambool campus – Hycel.

One of Australia’s first facilities for safely testing, manufacturing, optimising and training in new hydrogen technologies, Hycel is focused on technologies that use hydrogen rather than processes that produce it. In that sense, it is ‘downstream’, and closer to the people who are transforming Australia’s energy sector.

Ultimately, Victoria needs robust community understanding and support for hydrogen as a transport fuel, and replacement for natural gas to ensure it remains an attractive research and development funding proposition for all levels of government and industry.

Our work on Hycel was focused on understanding user and stakeholder needs and perceptions as well as the value Deakin has the potential to create through the Hycel hub. We worked to define what the centre is and what it stands for, through its identity and its expression in personality, tone, language and visuals across all communications.

Our communications and design teams provided Deakin with:

• A strategic brand identity
• Launch collateral
• An activation plan outlining brand expression and key strategy mapped to key customer groups
• Value proposition and key messaging
• Visual identity (inc. style guide)
• Community engagement strategy and materials

The visual identity deliberately plays at different scales – the economy and the technology, linking the energy of innovation with the immense economic and environmental benefits.

Deakin are equipped with the tools to establish their new research centre, raise awareness in the community and continue to ensure that there is sufficient investment in  Hydrogen for a cleaner future for Victoria.

Visit: www.deakin.edu.au/hycel