As part of the £600m regeneration of the Thames Gateway, leading brand consultancy Corporate Edge has been appointed to develop a brand and communication strategy critical to boosting inward investment for the area.
The appointment follows the forming of a partnership, for the first time, between the three Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) covering the area – those for London, the South East of England, and the East of England (LDA, SEEDA, and EDA).
SEEDA Project Director Gareth John said that both the partnership and the brand development work reflect the priority being given to the Thames Gateway’s regeneration. “The area’s prosperity is essential to the future growth and competitiveness of the UK as well as London’s status as a global city,” he said.
Corporate Edge Managing Partner Bridget Ruffell explained the significance of the brand to the regeneration program: “The Thames Gateway has huge economic potential but this will only be fully realised if potential investors can see and ‘feel’ a sense of what’s good about living and working there. With a rich heritage in location branding Corporate Edge is well placed to help develop this”.
The Thames Gateway area stretches from Canary Wharf in East London to Southend on the north side of the Thames Estuary and Sittingbourne on the south side. Its regeneration, started in 2003, is the largest project of its kind in Western Europe.