THE BRIEF

Following the success of the Excellence in Construction Awards (XCA), the organisers sought to introduce a new initiative that would extend the platform beyond recognition and celebration. The objective was to create a national forum capable of bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, academics and future talent to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping Malta’s built environment.

Steves&Co. was engaged to develop the strategic communications framework, visual campaign identity and marketing rollout for the inaugural edition of XCA Dialogues, a symposium centred on the theme “Building Better: Innovation & Wellbeing in Construction.”

The challenge was twofold: establish XCA Dialogues as a credible extension of the highly respected XCA brand, while simultaneously giving it a distinctive identity and positioning capable of standing on its own as a national platform for industry discussion and knowledge exchange.

OUR APPROACH

Our starting point was recognising that XCA Dialogues was not another conference. It represented a shift from celebrating achievement to facilitating the conversations that drive future progress.

Working closely with the organisers, we developed a communications strategy designed to position XCA Dialogues around four key themes: innovation, integrity, future workforce development, and knowledge exchange. The objective was to attract a high-value industry audience, strengthen institutional participation, and establish the symposium as a must-attend event within Malta’s construction calendar.

Central to the strategy was the development of a master narrative:

“Malta’s construction conversation, in one room.”

This narrative positioned XCA Dialogues as a meeting point for industry leaders, innovators and future talent, creating a platform where diverse perspectives could contribute to shaping the next standard for the built environment.

To support this positioning, we created an entirely new campaign identity that retained the trust and recognition associated with the Excellence in Construction Awards while introducing a more contemporary visual language for the symposium. The hero visual utilised a modular grid system inspired by construction itself, symbolising the coming together of ideas, disciplines and expertise. A new cyan colour palette was introduced alongside the established XCA beige tones, allowing Dialogues to develop its own recognisable identity while remaining clearly connected to the parent brand.

Beyond branding, we designed and executed a multi-channel communications strategy spanning:

• National and business media
• PR and editorial outreach
• Television interviews
• Social media content and advertising
• Student engagement initiatives
• University outreach 
• Event marketing and ticket conversion campaigns

A tiered communications framework was developed to drive both awareness and attendance, combining authority-building media placements with targeted social advertising and conversion-focused content.

THE IMPACT

The inaugural edition of XCA Dialogues successfully established itself as a new platform for discussion within Malta’s construction sector, attracting a strong audience of industry professionals, institutional stakeholders, academics and students.

The campaign generated significant visibility over a three-month period through a combination of organic content, paid media, PR activity and broadcast exposure. Social media performance accelerated as the event approached, with:

• Reach increasing by over 260% between the opening and closing stages of the campaign.
• Link clicks growing by almost 150%, reflecting strong interest in programme details and ticket purchases.
• Profile visits increasing by more than 130%, demonstrating growing awareness and audience engagement.
• Consistent engagement growth across Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn throughout the campaign period.

The integrated communications strategy helped position XCA Dialogues as more than an event. It established the symposium as a credible national forum for discussion around innovation, integrity, workforce development and the future of the built environment.

Most importantly, the campaign contributed to a highly successful first edition, delivering strong attendance, broad industry representation and meaningful engagement across the sector. The result was not only a successful launch, but the establishment of a repeatable platform capable of supporting the long-term growth and influence of the XCA programme.

PROJECT SERVICES

Visual Identity, Design Systems, Communications Strategy, Public Relations, Campaign Development, Messaging Frameworks, Content Strategy, Thought Leadership, Copywriting, Creative Direction, Art Direction, Campaign Design, Graphic Design, Advertising Artworks, Motion & Video, Social Media Design, Social Media Strategy, Content Calendars, Paid Social Campaigns