by Trevor Sturgess

Kent County Council has appointed a London firm to promote East Kent.

Seven Hills, based in Putney, won a KCC contract to spearhead “positioning and communications” around the £35m Regional Growth Fund (RGF) for the area.

The council recently launched a campaign to encourage bids from businesses across the county and nationwide for financial assistance in the form of unsecured interest free loans to sole traders, partnerships, limited companies or not-for-profit social enterprises.

Expansion East Kent is looking to create 5,000 new jobs in four years and unlock additional equity to boost the economic growth of the East Kent region.

The year long campaign begins with six weeks of talks to hammer out a programme of branding, marketing and PR. Influential Kent figures - or ambassadors - will drive the campaign throughout the next year.

KCC leader Paul Carter said: “Seven Hills demonstrated the creativity and campaigning style necessary to bring to life the opportunity provided by the £35m RGF.

"We have tasked the consultancy to help us realise this major opportunity by bringing together the inward investment message into a powerful proposition which we believe has the potential to be one of the most exciting in the UK and Europe today.”

Andrew Metcalf, a director of Maxim, a PR and marketing company in Tunbridge Wells, said his agency had pitched for the work.

But he was not too disappointed as Seven Hills would “bring a lot to the table and it's my understanding they are in talks with local agencies, including ourselves, on how local agencies may play a part in delivering the campaign.

"The investment by KCC has the potential to combine local knowledge and creativity with strong national expertise in the enterprise and place marketing arena through Seven Hills.”

He added: “Now is the right time to promote East Kent nationally and locally but it’s all about a coordinated campaign which plays to the area’s strengths and helps business unlock £35m of Government support.

"East Kent has some challenges but also some huge opportunities. We’d be more than happy to work alongside Seven Hills.”

Michael Hayman, co-founder of Seven Hills, added: “We are delighted to be working with Kent County Council on such an important initiative for a region with strong assets and powerful potential.”