Kew Gardens hires Manifesto for digital CX overhaul

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew has appointed digital agency Manifesto to overhaul the world heritage site’s online customer experience and refresh its digital platform in an effort to attract a wider range of visitors.
The appointment, which follows a competitive pitch, will see the agency work closely with Kew’s digital experience team. Manifesto already works with the National Trust, which has close ties to Kew through its partnership at Wakehurst.
As a leading visitor attraction and centre for plant science, the organisation’s website serves many different purposes and is integral in showcasing everything that Kew has to offer; from helping those who wish to visit the gardens plan their visit or find out about events, to sharing information on Kew’s latest scientific projects.
A new website will be designed to deliver a more immersive approach for potential visitors, boosting the digital experience and helping Kew achieve growth in visitor numbers and income.
The partnership will run for two years and will begin by overhauling the existing site using a Drupal 8 platform. Manifesto will also provide ongoing support and maintenance for the site.
Kew Gardens head of digital experience Chloe Shipman said: “Manifesto demonstrated a clear understanding of our organisational objectives right from the start with an impressive track record of agile delivery and producing tangible results for their clients. We were looking for an agency willing to work alongside us as one team, really partnering with us to improve digital experience at Kew – Manifesto impressed us with their collaborative approach and we are excited to work with them.”
Manifesto chief executive Jim Bowes added: “Kew delivers amazing experiences for many thousands of visitors every year and we’re excited to bring that same passion for experience to their digital platforms. We’re collaborating closely with the team at Kew and using Manifesto’s experience of working with a wide range of clients to deliver innovative projects.”