EUQB: a new brand to celebrate, unite and promote the European Quarter

This district is mainly known for offices, workers, and meetings, but this negative and boring stereotype is out of step with the ambition of the Brussels-Capital Region and the European institutions to capitalise on the potential of this district by improving its image and quality of life. There is an ambitious new urban vision for the neighbourhood, aiming to bring more housing and culture into the area, and make it more vibrant in the evenings and weekends. The development of cultural and tourist institutions with an international influence – such as the House of European History or the Parlamentarium – is bearing fruit. In fact, the European Quarter is already one of the most important tourist destinations in the Brussels-Capital Region.

This transformation calls for a fitting image and a promotion strategy that activates all the stakeholders who bring the European Quarter to life. The regional tourism agency visit.brussels takes the lead, with the support of other regional actors such as hub.brussels, perspective.brussels and commissioner.brussels. We have set out a strategy to develop the European Quarter as a “cultural hub” and promote it in terms of its European DNA. Brussels International is fully associated with this project.

At the end of 2023, just in time for the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union, we launched a new brand for the neighbourhood. ‘European Quarter Brussels’ (EUQB) aims to support the transformation of the image of the area with vibrant colours, an eye-catching logo and a positive story. The linguistic aspect of the brand promotes a new narrative for the district: the European Quarter embodies Europe on a human scale and in all its diversity, welcoming all Brussels residents and other visitors. Meanwhile, visual guidelines and brand elements define colours, logos and other visual aspects of the brand.

The toolkit offers the visual and narrative elements of the brand: www.euqbbrand.brussels

While regional authorities initiated the process of developing this brand, it should evolve into a shared brand, visible across the neighbourhood. Real success therefore requires enthusiastic engagement and input from all kinds of stakeholders – both in the development of the brand and its rollout. For example, we worked with the European institutions to get their feedback and encourage them to engage with the brand rollout. We also hosted info sessions for the municipalities of the European Quarter. And we made sure to involve and inform the businesses, shops and private organisations that shape the urban landscape of the neighbourhood. This multi-level and multi-stakeholder approach is vital to building a brand that is valued and used by everyone, from large institutions to small neighbourhood businesses. Getting everyone involved will be vital to making the brand a coherent showcase for the district.

As the Belgian presidency progresses, we are witnessing the brand’s increasing visibility within the European Quarter. You may have even spotted it on the streets! The visuals and narratives are also increasingly present in advertisement campaigns and in the online communications of European Quarter stakeholders. This delivers a multi-channel coherence that gives the neighbourhood a common voice and face. We hope that all of these actions will make a positive impression on those visit or hear about the European Quarter during the Belgian presidency – whether they are diplomats, tourists, workers, or residents of other Brussels districts. But this is just the beginning, and the EUQB brand is a long-term project. After all, whether Belgium holds the presidency or not, Brussels remains the capital of Europe, and the European Quarter is always where the magic happens.