Council appoints Linney to deliver its Destination Mansfield brand campaign

Destination Mansfield is one of the projects in the district to benefit from the £12.3m government-funded allocation and aims to promote Mansfield as a great area to live, work, and visit.

The vision outlined in a new strategy, Make it in Mansfield, launched in November 2023 and was developed by the Mansfield Place Board, an alliance of local leaders, businesses, and other organisations.

Now, the project is entering the second phase of delivering on the priorities under its four key themes. Linney will be responsible for creating the brand identity, the narrative that promotes Mansfield as a place to live, work, and visit, as well as working with focus groups to develop concepts and manage the launch of the campaign—all promoting Mansfield in a positive light.

The ten-year Make it in Mansfield strategy sets out priorities for ensuring Mansfield is a place ‘where everyone can make it in life’ under the following four themes:

· Build thriving communities so that people can be confident and ambitious, believe in a positive future, and be proud of Mansfield.

· Create opportunities for all by ensuring people have the right skills and can access well-paid local jobs.

· Grow a vibrant economy by supporting local businesses to grow and attracting new ones to the district.

· Enjoy a happy life where local people are supported to be healthy and active.

Speaking about the new appointment, John Kay, Co-Director at Linney, said: “As a sixth-generation Mansfield business, we’re proud of our town and excited about its potential. Linney’s Mansfield story dates back to the 1850s, when we opened a bookshop in the town centre. Many Mansfield people will remember us as the publishers of The Chad newspaper and, today, more than 1,300 of us work on a 45-acre Adamsway site, delivering marketing services for international brands.

“We know that Mansfield, with its rich manufacturing heritage and location at the heart of the UK, has played a key role in our success. Mansfield has a proud past and a positive future, and we’re excited about the opportunity to support a community that so many of us live and work in. It makes it even more special to know that Linney people working on this project will directly benefit from it.”

The agency secured the contract following the official tender process through the Consultancy Plus framework. Three agencies came through the framework, with two brought forward to present to a council panel.

Andrew Cropley, Chairman of the Mansfield Place Board, and Principal and Chief Executive of West Nottinghamshire College said: “We are thrilled to have reached another milestone in the delivery of the Destination Mansfield project.

“Linney are a fantastic Mansfield success story, so to have them on board delivering this campaign that highlights the district in a positive light is a perfect match.

“The tender panel were massively impressed by Linney’s extensive knowledge on how to develop brands, their understanding of the local area, and the insight they have on what local people and businesses want. They bring a huge amount of creativity about how best to position Mansfield now and in the future.

“I and the rest of the place board look forward to working with them to bring our strategy to life.”

Make it in Mansfield is designed to inform the strategies of all major local organisations, including priorities for future investment by both the public sector and businesses.

The full strategy can be found and downloaded at www.makeitinmansfield.uk.