Agenda item

The purpose of this paper is to make the Board aware of the opportunity Our Surrey Story presents to help achieve health and wellbeing objectives in the county, and identify where it could best support delivery of these.

Witnesses:

David Stedman - Senior Brand and Marketing Manager, Our Surrey Story, SCC

Michael Coughlin - Executive Director – Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth, SCC

Key points raised in the discussion:

1.    The Senior Brand and Marketing Manager, Our Surrey Story (SCC) noted that Our Surrey Story (OSS) was a brand for the county with the broad aim of promoting a positive image of Surrey to benefit its economy, environment, community and health and wellbeing goals. The OSS Board had its first meeting last week; he sought the Board’s input as to how it could add value to those goals.

2.    The Chair asked what the original aim was when the OSS Board was set up, and who officers would be reaching out to as partners and how would they get that engagement. It was unclear what the objectives were, who would benefit from the brand other than Surrey and how the Board’s involvement would further the cause of OSS. The Senior Brand and Marketing Manager, Our Surrey Story (SCC) noted that the direction was not yet set so the exact target audience was undefined. Potentially the focus could be on increasing the desirability of Surrey as a place for investment/relocation of businesses related to life sciences, and/or could focus on natural spaces and the positive contribution to physical and mental health. The broad audience was the residents, businesses and organisations of Surrey.

3.    As a supplementary question the Chair asked whether the brand should also seek to attract audiences outside of Surrey. The Senior Brand and Marketing Manager, Our Surrey Story (SCC) noted that Surrey was behind other areas that had their own place brands which focused on the economy and/or culture and/or civic pride. He sought guidance from different sectors within Surrey about what they would identify as their priorities in terms of how a Surrey-wide brand could add value to their work.

4.    As a supplementary question the Chair asked what the method was of attaining that information from the Board, for example would there be a questionnaire. The Senior Brand and Marketing Manager, Our Surrey Story (SCC) was reluctant to have something as formalistic. The Chair requested a methodology and a timeline for the Board to engage with the process.

5.    The Executive Director – Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth (SCC) explained that OSS emerged from a discussion with Surrey’s businesses questioning what Surrey meant to people inside and outside Surrey. From research undertaken a few years ago, unlike other counties people did not conjure up a specific image of Surrey or if they did it was ‘gin and Jaguars’ or a wealthy and older population. Part of the OSS work built upon that research work with stakeholders who largely aligned on three things that more accurately described the county: Surrey was energetic and vibrant in terms of innovation and leading thinking, it had an amazing natural landscape which enabled a good quality of life, and it was well-connected internationally, with Parliament, London, and Gatwick and Heathrow Airports. The ask was how could Board members and the organisations within their communities contribute to that positive image or Surrey brand, for example through the Ambassador programme. There was a booklet and a website for people to engage with. 

6.    A Board member noted that the OSS website was useful to see who the OSS Board members were to engage with. She highlighted Brighton and Hove’s strong branding and that Surrey had many straplines it could use. The Executive Director – Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth (SCC) noted that whilst people could have their own version of what should be promoted within Surrey, it would be essential to have a common language and set of graphics to create a powerful singular identity.

7.    The Chair asked whether ambassadors had been targeted. The Executive Director – Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth (SCC) confirmed that they had been and they were open to more people becoming ambassadors.

8.    A Board member noted that the University of Surrey had been rebranding, it also had the issue of Surrey as a place attached to its name; it needed to echo the OSS. The OSS had a wellbeing strand encompassing wellbeing for all, place and the environment; she reflected on how the Board could lead in showing what that could look like. The Senior Brand and Marketing Manager, Our Surrey Story (SCC) highlighted that the University of Surrey’s Director of Communications was an OSS Board member.

9.    The Chair asked what was on the OSS Board’s agenda going forward so she could understand the pathway and timeline. The Senior Brand and Marketing Manager, Our Surrey Story (SCC) noted that the were no specific timelines yet, the OSS Board’s first meeting was last week. He sought a general steer on the top health and wellbeing priorities across Surrey that the brand could elevate.

10.  A Board member noted that the value of the brand was to show that Surrey was its own unique place separate to London, that would only be achieved if people had pride in their community. The OSS would give people back that pride in where they live, promoting what Surrey has to offer; which would benefit people's health and wellbeing in their communities through a greater awareness of their surroundings and rebuilding local connections. He commended the work underway which followed many years of discussion, he noted that Surrey should be proud of the Oak leaf and champion it in all its work.

11.  A Board member reflected on Surrey celebrating its differences and culture, and linking to the Council's ‘no one left behind’ ambition; the Board needed to think about how it could use the brand to benefit all residents, particularly the Priority Populations. The Chair would think about how best to leverage Board members, liaising with the Senior Brand and Marketing Manager, Our Surrey Story (SCC) to write to all Board members.

RESOLVED:

1.    Familiarised itself with the aims and potential of Our Surrey Story as a county-wide brand to help achieve health and wellbeing objectives and considered which of these the brand could most usefully contribute to, and/or where there are gaps that Our Surrey Story could fill.

2.    Would propose how best it could involve health and wellbeing representatives across the county in the planned Ambassador programme.

3.    Would suggest up to two potential Health and Wellbeing Board members (or members’ representatives) for the Our Surrey Story Board to ensure health and wellbeing issues are appropriately represented (ideally with different experiences and perspectives).

Actions/further information to be provided:

1.    The Senior Brand and Marketing Manager, Our Surrey Story (SCC) will provide a methodology and a timeline for the Board to engage with the process to provide the information requested about how it could use the brand to benefit all residents, particularly the Priority Populations.

2.    The Chair will think about how best to leverage Board members, liaising with the Senior Brand and Marketing Manager, Our Surrey Story (SCC) to write to all Board members.