Brands are rooted in region's culture.

Byline: ANDREW DIXON 

WHAT do Northern Rock, Durham Cathedral, Newcastle Brown Ale, the Great North Run and The Angel of the North have in common? They are all household names in the North East and brands which carry part of the culture of the region with them wherever they are promoted. They have weathered their ups and downs in terms of public appeal, but they all generate pride in their own way.

Many were concerned that Northern Rock might lose its name and brand when the bank entered troubled times, but the reaction to The Journal's campaign demonstrated the support which people had for the name and institution.

This was helped by their contribution to charity through the Northern Rock Foundation but also their strong commitment to regional sport. From cricket to cycling, rugby to football, the bank has been "True to our roots" as the strapline on the pitchside hoardings states. Their sponsorship of sport has been exemplary and has probably been good value for the national and international profile it brings. Above all, the brand has local appeal.

In the top 10 of North East brands the Great North Run must rank as one of the most valuable. Twenty nine years old, the event has become synonymous with health and charity but also with the welcome of the North East people. I remember 10 years ago Brendan Foster came to see me at Northern Arts. He talked about having a great brand that happened one Sunday in September and then disappeared for a year. Now it has an all-year-round presence through its fitness programmes, runs and swims elsewhere in the country and the Great North Run Cultural Programme has become firmly established.

Newcastle University has done research into various brands including Newcastle Brown Ale. The beer, now brewed in Gateshead, is a global brand and the United States's largest-selling dark beer. It has been closely associated with a place and both beer and city have benefited as a result. Brown Ale has used the icons of the Tyne Bridge - and more recently the Angel of the North - to identify with its roots.

The association of successful brands to a distinctive place or location is a common characteristic. The number of companies using the Angel of the North in their title or adverts demonstrates the local and national appeal of the icon. Not a day goes by without someone using the Angel for promotion.

All of this adds to the sculpture's own brand value. The latest use by the England 2018 World Cup bid alongside Wembley and Big Ben shows how established the Angel has become.

If people can be brands, then Sir Bobby Robson is up there as probably the most respected in the region. At his thanksgiving service in Durham it seemed like the entire history of football and every living ex-manager of England had turned up to pay respects in an emotional farewell to a legend. The same weekend saw Sting, another icon of the region, starting the Great North Run and playing at Durham Cathedral, itself a symbol of the region.

What is interesting about these strong brands is the way they all feed off each other. Sting chooses Durham Cathedral. The Great North Run chooses Sting. Newcastle Brown features the Tyne Bridge and the Tyne Bridge plays host to the Great North Run. Unlike the I-pod, most brands take decades to be firmly established.

Terry Laybourne's successful Caf 21 was 21 years old last month and Folkworks, the folk music development agency based at The Sage Gateshead, was 24. As founder Alistair Anderso, stepped down he handed over to Kathryn Tickell who, in December, will play with Sting at The Sage Gateshead overlooking the Tyne Bridge and next to the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.

The success of all these brands is that they are rooted in the region whilst reaching out to the world. Andrew Dixon is chief executive of NewcastleGateshead Initiative