Establishing communication with common town residents is essential in branding that is often taken for granted. Without proper efforts, newly created brand wouldn't be loved by the town residents and stop growing somewhere on the design level, based on the amount of finances spent on its prevalence. Or, what's more expected, even can face rejection. That is a more than common situation, where brand is commisioned by the authorities and not grown up from common people. In case of Monchegorsk, it was also requested from the top, yet perceived pretty much gently without agression. That was the results of the careful work of communication.

There has to be the initiator and the heart of all the branding changes open for public, that residents can visit by any purpose they wish. Be it asking questions, participating in the event or asking questions not anonymously. It's better be not an official authority building, which can hinder access and add burocracy.
Ideally, it have to be:

1. Public space (coworking, cafe, any 3rd place)
2. Agency (our case)

Town development agency offers educational, town talks, master classes with experts, financial help (including funding), accumulation and curating all sorts urban changes in town.

Getting familiar with town residents can be an option when branding is not limited by outsource design only, like a lot of studies do. Not pointing with a finger.

1. Live in place (like Vasily Dubeykovsky during branding Uryupinsk in "the capital of Russia province")
2. Supporting the "freshly-baked" brand (our case)
3. Have a brand manager in place (also our case)

All the communication info shouldn't be chaotic, and better be well documented. Especially for this needs, we have created a handy brandmanaging wiki.

Taking short (like 1-2 minutes short) videos on local people sharing their personal emotions of the brand. This project was needed a caring author and we were lucky to find such talent among the native residents, Nikita Filatov. Later on, we've put it all in a local film festival, showed all the films to the public, including town authorities. Besides a good occasion for a town meeting, we've prooved that the brand idea worth living.

Lake storytelling goes to both print and internet formats in the personal project of the town brand manager, Kirill Fokin and his team in 2024. Basically, it's all about people, their thoughts, stories with some emphasis towards the tourist products in town. Magazine was pre-presented during the Imandra Festival and got lots of attention immediately. As soon as the magazine would be available online, the following links to the full version will be provided.