The Blackburn Business Improvement District (BID) has joined forces with public, private and voluntary sector partners to get people ‘talking up’ Blackburn with Darwen through the creation of a new place brand as identified within the Blackburn with Darwen Prosperity Plan – http://theshuttle.org.uk/businesses-plan-prosperity/
The aim is to improve the borough’s image and encourage more people to live, work and invest here, creating a stronger economy that everyone can benefit from.
Place branding is often led by councils, but in Blackburn with Darwen, organisations have decided to take a different approach and develop it together.
The work is being led by Blackburn with Darwen Local Strategic Partnership, which represents public sector organisations including the Council and NHS, local businesses and the voluntary, community and faith sector.
A brand development group made up of leaders from the business community, the Council and Blackburn College has been established to take the work forward. They hope to appoint a creative agency to develop the brand identity by Christmas and aim to launch it in spring 2016.
Local organisations and businesses will be asked to sign up to a charter pledging their commitment to positively promote Blackburn with Darwen using the brand imagery and messages in their PR and marketing activity. To support the brand launch and rollout an operational communications and marketing group has been formed which again includes public, private and voluntary sector organisations.
For more information or to find out how to get involved, please contact Leah Maguire at Blackburn with Darwen Council. Email leah.maguire@blackburn.gov.uk, or phone 01254 585584.
