Over 200 organisations join Humber-wide initiative to transform the region’s future

More than 200 organisations across the region have joined forces with a strategic initiative that’s redefining the Humber and raising its profile to create a powerful future for the area.

Designed to define, promote, and activate the region’s identity, the Humber Place Brand was launched in June last year by Future Humber. The initiative established a powerful narrative for the region to own and use, with the aim of enhancing the area’s profile and bolstering investment potential. A shared story and unified voice for the region, the Place Brand is rooted in the area’s character and underpinned by four core values: Real, Revolutionary, Remarkable, and Resourceful.

A year on from its launch, the initiative has become a growing movement, galvanising the region’s business community, and positively influencing perceptions of the Humber regionally, nationally and internationally. Over 200 people have joined as Place Brand Ambassadors, committing to championing the Humber and playing a vital role in Humber’s transformation.

Dr Diana Taylor, Managing Director at Future Humber, explained: “The Humber is a region of global significance yet has had a muted voice for too long. With more than £72bn invested here in the last decade, and the country’s largest decarbonisation opportunity on our doorstep, the time was right to change that.

“In just over 12 months, the Humber Place Brand has evolved from a set of values into a living, breathing force for change. It’s been a catalyst for connection and collaboration across the region, buoyed by a bold and unified Humber narrative that reflects our authenticity and ambition.

“It’s more than a message. It’s a movement. A region-wide movement powered by belief, reinforced by behaviour, and demonstrated in action. There’s a new energy and alignment in the region as people join our shared mission. We’ve established a common language, making it easier to tell a coherent story – as a result, our strengths, assets and ambitions are becoming more visible and better understood both inside and outside the Humber.”

Businesses, organisations and people across the region are being encouraged to get involved and play a part in creating Humber’s positive future by becoming a Place Brand Ambassador. A growing network of passionate champions for the region, Ambassadors promote and implement the Humber place values and narrative through words, actions, projects, and partnerships. Details of how to register can be found on the Future Humber website, www.futurehumber.com

Diana added: “We want every resident, community and business to feel part of this journey. Momentum matters. We’re writing our own story and shaping our own future.”

Since the Humber Place Brand launch, Future Humber have delivered a series presentations, workshops and interactive sessions across the region, engaging senior leaders, marketing teams, and frontline staff in the initiative. Other achievements include

• the values being used by business leaders to shape projects such as the region’s first Hull and East Yorkshire Business Awards and the restoration of the Burton building on Whitefriargate.
• two region-wide Ambassador training events held with a third taking place October 21^st.
• 15 energy partners from across the region coming together under one Humber Pavilion to profile the area’s globally significant decarbonisation opportunity at Innovation Zero World Congress.
• the creation of a suite of digital assets – such a brand toolkit, brand filter, and Canva template – enabling people to communicate the region’s place brand and story with confidence and impact.
• a dedicated series of case studies showcasing the region’s trailblazers published through Future Humber’s online channels.
• unlocking longer-term thinking, with the values appearing in Parliamentary speeches and in a joint letter from business leaders calling for unified investment in Humber.

The Humber Place Brand was unveiled as part of Humber Business Week, June 2024, following extensive consultation and stakeholder engagement working in partnership with place-branding experts. Recognising that areas with distinctive identities are more likely to prosper than those without a strong place brand, Future Humber set out to harness the power of place branding for Humber.

Diana said: “Strong place brands are proven drivers of long-term prosperity. A clearly articulated brand can transform external perceptions, boost investment appeal, and ignite local pride.  Strategic assets that unite stakeholders and amplify competitive strengths, place identities help places stand out in a crowded national and global marketplace.

“Humber’s place brand is not just a marketing tool – it is a foundation for transformation, identity, and future growth. It creates the conditions for confidence, collaboration, and ambition. It enables the region to tell our story with clarity and purpose, attract the right talent and investment, and inspire those who live and work there to become champions of change.”