Essex County Council has appointed Newcastle design agency Sumo to develop a two year marketing strategy which will aim to raise awareness of its mix of cultural activities.

The ‘Explore Culture’ campaign will use a broad range of marketing channels to reach the public including outdoor advertising, promotional materials such as badges and beer mats, a presence on social networks and an interactive website highlighting the vast array of cultural on offer.

The agency will also utilise the large network of arts organisations within the county to partner with the campaign to stretch the budget as far as possible.

The campaign will be measured by a series of Mori telephone surveys throughout 2009 and 2010.