Staffordshire has been shortlisted for a prestigious international award, recognising excellence in place marketing and branding.
We Are Staffordshire, the place marketing delivery organisation for the county is a finalist in the ‘Place Brand of the Year’ category at the City Nation Place awards.
The annual awards, now in its twelfth year, recognises organisations setting the standard for excellence in place branding and place marketing. They highlight cities, nations and regions that are building a clear, credible, and inspiring story that attracts people, business, and investment.
This year’s awards attracted a record number of entries from 31 countries across all seven continents, with finalists selected by an international panel of place leaders.
We Are Staffordshire’s submission highlighted the breadth of work delivered during 2025/26 to strengthen the county’s reputation as the beating heart of the country, support economic growth and bring partners together behind a shared vision for Staffordshire.
This included celebrating the tenth anniversary of Staffordshire Day, launching Made in Staffordshire, growing the We Are Staffordshire Ambassador Network to 380 passionate advocates, and coordinating Staffordshire’s presence at UKREiiF.
The team also recently marked the one-year anniversary of Screen Staffordshire, the county’s first film office, which has already generated £1.323 million for the local economy.
Hayley Coles, Deputy Leader of Staffordshire County Council and Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture, said:
“Being shortlisted alongside some of the world’s leading place brands is a fantastic achievement for Staffordshire and everyone involved in telling our county’s story.
“Staffordshire truly is the nation's playground with so much to offer, from our castles, visitor attractions and stately homes, lakes and canals to our world-class universities. We Are Staffordshire and its Place Board brings these strengths together, helping to create a compelling story about the county and its opportunities.
“This recognition reflects the creativity, ambition and collaboration of our businesses, organisations and communities, and I’m incredibly proud to see Staffordshire being recognised on this global stage.”
Josie Morris MBE, Chair of the We Are Staffordshire Place Board, said:
“This shortlist is a real testament to what can be achieved when businesses, organisations and public sector partners work together with a shared ambition for Staffordshire.
“We have so many fantastic stories to tell about our world-class manufacturing and creative industries, our visitor economy and the people who make Staffordshire such a great place to live, visit, work and invest.
“We Are Staffordshire gives us a powerful platform to bring those stories together and make sure Staffordshire gets the recognition it deserves.”
Other finalists in the ‘Place Brand of the Year’ category include Costa Rica, Finland, Scotland, Philadelphia and Tasmania.
The City Nation Place Awards winners will be announced on 5 November at the close of the Global conference in London.
The full shortlist can be viewed at 2026 Finalists | City Nation Place.
