THE NICEST stereotype about Essex-dwellers is that they don't take themselves too critically. That's fortunate, as a result of Britons’ fondness for regional cattiness has lengthy been indulged at their expense. For Charles Dickens, their county city of Chelmsford was “the dullest and most silly spot on the face of the Earth”. Essex Man, shorthand for the archetypal Tory voter of the Eighties, was not meant as a time period of affection (“proper wing, eager hanger [of people], noisily rambunctious, no subtlety”, defined Marketing campaign, a public-relations commerce journal).
Essex’s Twenty first-century picture is the gentler one popularised by “The Solely Method Is Essex” (TOWIE), a reality-TV present. That is the county of white stilettos, pink prosecco, terracotta blusher and calling individuals “babes”. However its council has determined a rebrand is so as.
On the northern border of the Essex it needs to showcase are the landscapes John Constable beloved to color. Alongside its jap edge stretches the longest shoreline of any English county save Cornwall, a mecca for migrating birds and seal-watchers. Nestled in its inside is Colchester, Britain’s oldest recorded city and the primary capital of Roman England. TV adverts depicting Essex’s much less TOWIE-esque aspect will air on Sky from March.
At stake is greater than pleasure. Britons have been changing into extra keen on “keep cations” even earlier than the pandemic. Since 2020, covid-related journey restrictions have supercharged that pattern, giving home holidays a lift that might endure. But Essex’s vacationer board feels that stereotypes in regards to the county have eclipsed its potential as a vacation spot.
A profitable rebrand, whether or not of an organization or a county, is a tough balancing act. For Nick Cooper of Landor & Fitch, a branding company, crucial parts are differentiation and relevance. Differentiation is about how a lot a model stands out from others—and right here Essex already scores extremely. (Not like, say, Lincolnshire, it at the least conjures up a psychological picture.) Relevance is a model’s capacity to make individuals really feel like they've a reference to it.
Tweak both to attraction to new clients, although, and also you threat pushing aside the present ones. Selling Essex’s posher aspect is a high-quality thought. But it surely was TOWIE that put it on the map.
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