Essex County Council
A website to thrive and grow
Extraordinary Essex is more than just a destination. Businesses and talent are drawn there for its unmatched connectivity and a reputation for ambition, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Essex needed a digital platform to match that energy – bold, modern and designed for growth.
The project
With unrivalled access to London, Europe and beyond, Essex offers a compelling mix of global opportunity and local charm. It’s a county of contrasts. Lively arts festivals and peaceful villages, coastal towns and cultural hubs, all set against a backdrop of ambition and enterprise.
To shine a light on all this – and attract investors, students, visitors and residents alike – Essex County Council needed a fresh, digital-first platform to showcase what makes the county extraordinary.
Our in-house delivery
Pillory Barn was commissioned to refresh the Extraordinary Essex brand and deliver a fully redesigned website – one that would transform how Essex speaks to its audiences, and how they engage with it.
Working closely with Essex County Council’s investment and international trade teams, our in-house experts led a strategic, insight-led approach to branding, UX and digital delivery. We provided:
- In-depth UX workshops to define content hierarchy, user journeys, with clear calls to action
- A refined brand identity and fresh visual style to elevate the look and feel across channels
- Interactive web design across all page templates and devices, crafted in Adobe XD
- A custom-built, WordPress-powered site for simple content management
- An innovative, mobile-friendly menu system for smooth, creative navigation
- A bespoke Google Map integration to bring location-based content to life
- Reliable hosting and ongoing maintenance to keep the site running at its best
- The result? A digital platform that doesn’t just inform – it inspires. The website was even showcased at the Houses of Parliament in 2025, introducing councillors and stakeholders to Essex’s renewed digital identity.
Our impact
- Delivered a bold, design-forward website that stands out from the crowd
- Put key locations, sectors and opportunities centre stage
- Built a branded digital hub connecting users to organisations across Essex
- Positioned Essex as a place of ambition ahead of the Greater Essex devolution
- Enabled Essex to tell its story with confidence, clarity and creativity
The Pillory Barn approach
We brought a placemaking-first mindset – blending strategic thinking with creativity and technical know-how. Our team’s deep understanding of inward investment, digital storytelling, and audience engagement meant the new website didn’t just meet expectations – it exceeded them.
From insight to execution, we helped shape a platform that reflects Essex’s past, present and future – and lays the digital foundations for what comes next.
Thinking of transforming your brand and digital presence?
Take a look at the finished website below and if you would like our expert team to help you evolve and thrive, please contact us get in touch.