Exeter Pound CIC

Context

The Exeter Pound was a local currency created to support independent traders and keep money circulating within the community. From its early launch phase, the organisation needed clear communication tools that explained how the currency worked and why it mattered.

My involvement began at this moment and continued throughout the organisation’s existence, supporting their public messaging and producing creative media that helped introduce and promote the currency to the city.

Focus

The focus of my work was to help the organisation communicate its purpose through accessible, community-centred media. This included creating videos that introduced the currency, highlighted local businesses and supported the broader mission of strengthening the independent economy in Exeter.

Approach

Over the years, I produced a range of videos for the Exeter Pound, from announcements and promotional pieces to larger explainers like Why an Exeter Pound?, which formed a core part of the launch campaign.

Later, I initiated Exeter Pound Presents, a project pairing media students with local traders to create short promotional videos. This kept the approach practical, collaborative and rooted in supporting both the organisation and the wider community.

Themes

• community storytelling

• supporting local economies

• accessible communication

• student–business collaboration

• early creative development

Outcomes

The work helped the Exeter Pound build a clear and approachable public identity. Explainer videos introduced the concept to new audiences, and ongoing promotional content strengthened the organisation’s visibility and outreach. The Exeter Pound Presents project connected traders with emerging creatives, providing real-world experience for students and valuable media for businesses.

Reflection

Looking back, this collaboration sits at an important point in my early creative development. Now it makes more sense. The work brought together themes that continue to shape my practice: community, communication, local identity and using creative tools for social purpose. It holds more depth in hindsight than it ever did in the moment, and marks one of the first times I used video to support something larger than the work itself.