Marketing body tasked with creating a new brand for Birmingham

THE Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) has commissioned Marketing Birmingham to develop a regional branding strategy.

It is intended that the strategy will strengthen the area’s reputation across global markets in order to maximise economic returns for the region.

The budget for the branding strategy has not been revealed but is understood to be around £150,000. 

The GBSLEP wants to clearly define Greater Birmingham’s competitive position as a place to live, invest, visit and do business.

The project aims to create a “clear and compelling narrative” for the area and provide partners with the tools to communicate it to key audiences.

Andy Street, chair of the GBSLEP, said:  “Greater Birmingham’s reputation as a place to live, invest, visit and do business is growing.

“Historic and redundant views are being replaced with a growing appreciation of what we have to offer. To build on this momentum we need a step change that will herald the next stage of the area’s development and reputation.

“This project aims to do just that – it will provide the tools we need to sell our area across domestic and overseas markets.
 
“It is important that we have a clear narrative that works for the broad Greater Birmingham area. Working with partners from across the patch, we are confident that this exercise will help bring clarity and strength to our globally competitive position.
 
“In the coming months we will be consulting extensively with a broad cross section of people, partners and representative bodies to explore what is important to them about our area. This will feed into the positioning work and provide a narrative that will inform the area’s strategy and communications for years to come.”

London-based place marketing specialist Heavenly has been appointed to lead on the consultation work.