Chris Sands, creator of UK’s biggest grassroots high street campaign Totally Locally, is set to launch 3 weeks of workshops across Barossa, Gawler, Light and Adelaide Plains to help boost local economies and tourism with the power of story.
Voted UK’s Top 100 change makers by Big Issue, UK’s largest street paper, Chris Sands has worked with over 100 towns and thousands of businesses to establish strong brand messages that people love and take ownership of – building pride of place and attracting visitors.
When the COVID pandemic hit regional South Australian towns, people became less engaged after periods of social distancing and lockdowns. To stay competitive, towns and regions need to get savvy about how they work together to promote themselves. Chris will use his brand knowledge and Totally Locally framework to help towns identify their uniqueness, reaffirm their identity within their overall regional brands, and inspire leaders to be part of the change they want to see in their communities.
Chris knows the journey of living in a struggling town. He created the Totally Locally concept & campaign in 2009 for his home region of Calderdale. It had such an economic impact on the area that he was asked by other towns to do it for them. He decided to share his intellectual property in a free-to-access step-by-step guide which took 2 years to create. The Totally Locally framework has grown dramatically and has been used all around the world.
“Love where you live, you might just make it better.” says Chris.
How to register for a session
If you or your community group are interested in booking in a private session with Chris between now and November 21, contact Anita Mariani at Regional Development Australia Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains on (08) 8563 3603 or email anita@barossa.org.au
Chris’s visit is a part of the Regional Leadership Development Program supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA). Each session requires a co-payment of $150, but this can include as many people or groups as you like to spread the single cost between all attendees.
