North Northants Development Company has launched an online film to encourage more people to discover the benefits of living and working in North Northamptonshire.

The film, which aims to go viral, is the latest instalment in a place marketing campaign that is trying to grab the attention of potential housebuyers, investors and employers who are looking to move from London and the South-east.

Using the controversial tagline ‘North Londonshire’, the campaign is seeking to impress on people that North Northamptonshire is well connected, closer to London than some might think, but also has beautiful countryside and offers real rural quality of life.

The film, which has been produced by the design and digital agency Creative Lynx, is set to the Matt Munro track of ‘Somewhere’ from West Side Story.

Using traditional stop frame animation the style is a pastiche of the classic Paddington Bear style of animation. Throughout the film, people are able to customise elements and send to a friend so that the messaging is very personal to individuals.

The film will be hosted on www.NorthLondonshire.co.uk as well as YouTube and other social media platforms. It will be alongside a targeted Facebook campaign aimed at Londoners aged between 25-35.

A chief aim of the ‘North Londonshire’ campaign is to put North Northamptonshire on the map of would be housebuyers. Research carried out prior to the launch of the campaign revealed that some Londoners thought Kettering was in Kent and that Northamptonshire’s profile as a good value commuter location is underplayed.

The London-facing campaign includes tube escalator advertising at St Pancras International and other key Zone One underground stations, online marketing and a 60-second radio ad, voiced by the comedienne and radio presenter Sandi Toksvig. These have been running for a short-time already.

Expanding families and first-time buyers are targeted by a series of adverts which highlight the space and quality of life available in North Northamptonshire in comparison to the more over-crowded and congested London. The campaign highlights that the area is just 50 minutes from London by train, has outstanding schools and four-bed detached houses available for less than £170,000*.

Simon Evans, Chief Executive of North Northants Development Company, said: “In line with the rest of the campaign, we hope this viral film will spark intrigue and encourage housebuyers, investors and employers to take a closer look at what North Northamptonshire has to offer. In recent years significant investment in our town centres has complemented the area’s natural beauty and accessibility to provide a quality of life at a price that other areas would find hard to match.

The success of the award winning ‘More in Corby’ campaign in 2007 saw 45% of new home buyers on Oakley Vale, Corby come from London and the South-east. These people look not only to settle, but to work and put their children through schools so it has a stong, positive benefit to the area. We are hoping to replicate this previous success within the whole of North Northamptonshire and this viral campaign is just one element.”

The film follows the lives of a pair of London pigeons who have to struggle everyday to survive in the capital, with danger, noise and pollution everywhere. They take flight to find a better life and head towards ‘North Londonshire’; here life is much better, with no pollution, great housing, fulfilling jobs, Ofsted recommended schools and friendly inhabitants.