Episode Details

How do you transform a town’s reputation from a "former mill town" to a thriving hub for investment and creativity? In this episode of PR in the Real World, Rachel Bayley, Brand Manager for Burnley, reveals the "secret sauce" behind one of the UK’s most successful place branding initiatives.

We dive into the practical realities of managing a borough-wide brand, starting with Rachel’s "baptism of fire" career in Manchester journalism to her current role putting Burnley on the national stage. Rachel explains why place branding must be separate from council branding to remain authentic and how she used the 2020 pandemic as an opportunity to "brand her way through" the gloom.

The conversation explores the power of the "Burnley Bondholders" scheme (a private-sector-led initiative that fuels the town's marketing budget) and how a small, creative team uses video, high-quality print, and social media to reach millions. Rachel also shares the story behind setting up a dedicated "Filming in Burnley" office to attract major productions like Brassic and Netflix documentaries.

From a PR and communications perspective, this episode covers:

• Separating Place and Council Brands: Why a bridge between the two is essential for avoiding public skepticism and maintaining a positive narrative.
• The Bondholder Model: How charging businesses to be part of a brand creates value, skin in the game, and a sustainable marketing budget.
• Content-Led Strategy: Using video to "see it to believe it" and re-editing the town’s visual narrative away from old clichés.
• Filming as a PR Asset: Setting up a filming permit system to showcase a town's diverse locations and generate community reinvestment.
• Engaging the Next Generation: The birth of Burnley Social and the Future Leaders program to retain young talent.

We also discuss the surprisingly high demand for print media through Burnley Lifestyle magazine and why the town put a drag artist on the front cover to signal its progressive, inclusive identity. Rachel provides a "golden lesson" on staying humble and being willing to pivot based on real-time feedback from the community.

This episode is relevant for professionals working in:

• Local Government & Economic Development: Looking for models of self-sustaining place marketing.
• PR and Communications: Interested in brand perception and changing long-standing public narratives.
• Place Marketers: Seeking inspiration on how to build a business network (Bondholders).
• Creative Industries: Interested in how towns attract TV and film production.

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