THE VOICE
Could there be a Brand Essex?
In terms of people from outside the region, Essex has a particular niche in British popular culture and regarded by some observers, not least The Times, in a recent television review, as “one of the first counties visited by any writer intent on understanding the turbulent politics of England in an era of rising nationalism and mass disaffection.”
The author, a native of Harlow, described how the county occupies a unique place in the national imagination. “Reality shows such as The Only Way Is Essex have popularised a stereotype of Essex man and woman as brash, hedonistic, uncultured and acquisitive. One struggles to imagine similar shows being set in other southern English counties — ‘The Only Way Is Berkshire’, say — reveals much about the distinctiveness and notoriety of Essex.”
The author, a native of Harlow, described how the county occupies a unique place in the national imagination.
“Reality shows such as The Only Way Is Essex have popularised a stereotype of Essex man and woman as brash, hedonistic, uncultured and acquisitive.
One struggles to imagine similar shows being set in other southern English counties — ‘The Only Way Is Berkshire’, say — reveals much about the distinctiveness and notoriety of Essex.”
Popular culture is not the same as business and government, suggested Stuart Graham of Chelmsford. “Essex is made-up of six quite strong individual places with different identities and different issues, communities, and everything else. So that is one of the biggest challenges because that’s not going to change.”
On the other hand, he felt it that Brand Essex already played well in Whitehall. “Essex does have a good reputation with government. We get things done. We deliver.”
Whilst not a like-for-like comparison, similar thinking led to the formation of the Northern Powerhouse in 2016 and has been mirrored to some extent with the Eastern Powerhouse, launched in 2022, and which features North Essex.
Devolution may soon become the vehicle which has to carry the hopes of improvement and positive change across a whole range of issues, including regional identity.
It may be presented as the game changer that takes everything to another level.
Given Essex’s business base, geography and diversity, the panel agreed there is at least plenty for brand consultants to work with – the county already has attributes that collectively make it one of the most attractive places to learn, learn and work in the UK.
