THE pride and the passion of the North-East will take centre stage in a multi-million pound marketing campaign launched today to improve the image of the region.

Business and tourism leaders will gather at Seaham Hall, in County Durham, for the unveiling of the latest advertising campaign to promote the North-East.

The campaign, led by regional development agency One NorthEast, will feature a series of adverts entitled Passionate People - Passionate Places, and the first appearance of a brand logo for North-East England.

The campaign will be taken to national newspapers, airports, East Coast mainline trains, and in London it will appear on taxis and at Underground stations.

A survey carried out last year by Mori established that the rest of the country is largely unaware of what the North-East has to offer.

The campaign is designed to change perceptions of the region, highlighting its history and heritage, coast and countryside, city culture and business.

It aims to portray the North-East as a dynamic region that offers excellent opportunities and a great quality of life.

Alan Clarke, the chief executive of One NorthEast, said: "How our region is perceived both within the North-East and externally is vitally important to our future success and economic prosperity."

Organisations across the region are being encouraged to use the new symbol of the region on their promotional material.

The adverts feature Durham Cathedral, Durham University women's rowing team and Dr Arnab Basu, managing director of Durham Scientific Crystals, based at NetPark, in Sedgefield, who moved to the region from Calcutta nine years ago to study and has since founded his own business.