Distinctive Dispatch #26: How comms attracts investment in places
Thoughts on promoting great places, and how not to do it; supporting new homes in Margate; lessons from three years in business; follow us on Insta.
Better comms for people, places and work
In times of turmoil, people look to things they know for reassurance. Cities, towns and local communities everywhere are impacted by global and political uncertainty. They’re also places where change is possible and great things can happen if people pull together. This newsletter highlights examples of positive - and terrible - things happening in places. Communications has a role in shaping these outcomes. We are proud to play a part in supporting postive change for the organisations we support.
Thanks as ever for supporting our newsletter. If you have thoughts or suggestions on what you’d like us to cover, let us know in the comments or get in touch.
How places can promote themselves as destinations for investment
Unlocking potential. Full of ambition. The UK’s [insert sector here] powerhouse.
These phrases - and variations of them - adorn campaigns for places promoting themselves as destinations for investment.
I saw dozens of examples of these last month during a three-day visit to the mega property conference at UKREiiF in Leeds, where towns, cities and regions pitched their offer to investors.
Beyond the brochures, successful places promote themselves brilliantly by building strong brands, getting communities behind them, and using investment to deliver meaningful change on the ground.
Manchester’s city centre regeneration over the last 30 years, embracing culture as a driver, is a stand-out example of this. It also highlights the power of strategic story-telling which connects with people in a way that social value or GVA stats don’t.
UKREiiF highlighted to me that competition for investment is fierce, in the UK and internationally. Standing out from the blizzard of marketing material - the ones pictured below were just for partners in the South West region - presents a challenge for places. But we’ve found PR can address this challenge.
Providing strong narratives for regions and supporting successful campaigns for big regeneration projects has taught us a few things about what works well. Every place is different, but here are some thoughts on how good comms can support great places.
Places, partners, people – ingredients for great story-telling
In my experience, the best approaches are clearly connected to local strengths, supported by partners and investment friendly policies and have people at their core.
Creating a narrative for the public to get behind is key. Some questions to consider: who are we speaking to? What’s the story we want to tell?
Understanding a region’s stand-out factors – skilled workforce, infrastructure, cultural gems – add depth to the narrative. The narrative could be place-based like Plymouth’s positioning as Britain’s Ocean City, or around sectors like tech and the creative industries, which Invest Bristol and Bath do well.
As we recommend with our approach to strategy, cracking these questions first shapes your entire campaign. Without it, you just have a list of stuff, which won’t stand out from the pack.
Get partners on board
When places have something to say, it helps when partners and civic leaders get behind it. The north of England does this very well, as the launch of The Great North consortium of regional mayors showed.
Closer to home, I listened at UKREiiF to a panel discussion from Exeter partners representing the local council, the city’s university and the successful science park just off the M5.
Their story is strong: cutting-edge research in areas like climate science and nanotechnology, a growing and skilled population, and outstanding spaces for businesses and communities to thrive.
Partners’ genuine commitment to the story and working together made it coherent and compelling.
Show, don’t tell
It’s great to have a strong narrative and committed partners, but they only get you so far. Places also need to tell stories that bring narratives and partners’ messages to life.
Local businesses who make up the local supply chain. Skills providers and colleges who deliver a pipeline of skilled workers. Innovative companies that invest in areas. Cool places to visit and spend time in. Working with people who make these things happen to beat the drum builds credibility that powers place-based campaigns. Case studies, video, social media campaigns and endorsements flow from this, adding a human dimension to the numbers.
Be confident
In his book about urban inequality and the affordability crisis facing large cities, Richard Florida calls on places to put their best foot forward when seeking new investment.
He argues that places shouldn’t just give things away to land a deal without seeking long-term and lasting commitment from investors. How will investment improve skills? How will it benefit local suppliers? What’s the plan for transport investment?
These questions are key to inclusive growth, that builds confidence and trust in the built environment. How to address this challenge is a post for another day.
Having a strong narrative and clear proposition creates a confident backdrop for discussions with potential anchor investors.
Measure success, and keep going
Campaigns are only as good as the results they generate. It takes several connections with a potential investor to generate interest. Try to understand how your campaign engages them and be ready to iterate your approach.
One conversation at UKREiiF or a single piece of collateral won’t secure a deal on its own. I’ve seen investment decisions take years to land. Places with a clear idea of what they stand for, who they’re targeting, and how, stand the best chance of generating interest.
We’ve written plenty about how PR can support successful places, including Arianne’s piece in this newsletter below.
If you’d like to know more about how we can help your campaign, drop us a line.
The image in the thumbnail is courtesy of UKREiiF.
Comms with impact: supporting new and affordable homes in Margate
Community engagement and creative communications plays a vital role in making places happen, creating homes and jobs and attracting investment.
We were delighted that our client Axis Land Partnerships won councillor support recently for its plans to provide 1,461 new and affordable homes in Margate.
Our team led communications for its site, branded Humber’s Mill by the team, with a narrative, brand, website, social media and an event at the local football club to engage thousands of households in the proposals.
Read about how we did it and what our client thought.
Things we’ve seen
Instagram launches first official use of unlockable Reels: Meta has unveiled a new tool where creators can share Reels that can only be seen by those who have an access code. It aims to offer a platform for exclusive content and allow accounts to engage specific audiences, provide discounts or region-specific updates. It’s due to be rolled out more widely in the coming months. Time will tell if it’s a feature that will last or something that users will just find a bit irritating.
The social media team at HBO Max turned mockery into meme material: When streaming service HBO Max announced that it was rebranding for the fifth time – after last announcing a name change in 2023 – the internet had a lot to say. It could have been a sticky few days for the social media team, but they provided a masterclass in leaning into the joke. By getting ahead of the criticism and releasing a barrage of self-deprecating memes about the news, they proved the value of a ‘can’t beat them, join them’ approach to comms – and a savvy understanding of online audiences.
Things we’ve read
Dark public relations and the battle for Malaga’s soul – Wadds: “There’s a line between persuasion and propaganda. That line has been crossed in Malaga.” Stephen Waddington shares details of tensions in Malaga, which has become a case study on unethical practice where strategic communication is used to sideline dissent and push a growth-at-all-costs agenda. It’s a stark warning about what happens when community engagement is sidelined.
‘Nobody wants a robot to read them a story!’ Creatives and academics are rejecting AI at work and home – The Guardian: Amid an AI revolution, Emine Saner spoke to people who are holding out against the lure of ChatGPT and its ilk. Their reasons are compelling: creative integrity, concerns about plagiarism and sub-standard, superficial results, to name just a few. As useful as AI can be when it comes to doing basic work, we couldn’t agree more about the value of keeping comms human.
Use them or lose them. Six essential skills we must save – Influence: Technology has changed how we live, and the way we do business. But there are several skills we risk losing if we don’t exercise those muscles to keep them, including deep reading, handwriting and being self-reliant.
Things we’ve heard
An intelligence officer, a journalist and a politician start a podcast: Former home secretary Amber Rudd has teamed up with renowned journalist Mark Urban and decorated former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos to present The Crisis Room. This weekly current affairs podcast promises to unpack the ‘the biggest crises shaping the UK and the world’. In a time of political and economic uncertainty, they’ll have plenty to sink their teeth into.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, shares challenges of building a brand from scratch: It’s fair to say things haven’t always been smooth sailing for Prince Harry and Meghan since their move to the States. Meghan’s podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, received mixed reviews, but it’s providing a useful platform for announcements, updates and insights about her lifestyle brand, As Ever. In terms of PR, radical honesty about the challenges of being a business owner – rather than an ex-member of the Royal Family – may be a positive step.
Things we’ve said
Lessons from three years in business: This week, we marked our third birthday. Against a background of political and economic turmoil, we didn't have an easy start. But three years and four Prime Ministers later, we’ve built something we’re proud of. Ben shares his reflections on the journey so far.
The power of PR for commercial properties: With the rise of WFH, employers and developers must raise their game to create spaces where employees want to work. Arianne writes about how strong comms and quality PR can help businesses shout from the rooftops about offices that are worth commuting to.
Hello, Insta 👋: Follow @distinctivecomms on Instagram for updates, comms tips and insights. We’ll be pleased to follow you back.
We’ll see you again on 4 July. If you’d like to share or discuss anything before the next edition, please leave a comment or get in touch.