当代英国经济解析（英国埃塞克斯郡重塑形象）
原文标题：
Essex is rebranding
Not the only way
A county with a reputation for brashness is trying to rebrand
埃塞克斯正在重塑
并非唯一的生活方式
一个以轻率著称的郡正试图重塑形象
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THE NICEST stereotype about Essex-dwellers is that they do not take themselves too seriously.
对埃塞克斯居民最好的刻板印象就是，他们不把自己太当回事。
That is lucky, because Britons’ fondness for regional cattiness has long been indulged at their expense.
这是幸运的，因为他们纵容英国人对他们进行地区性毒舌调侃的喜好。
For Charles Dickens, their county town of Chelmsford was “the dullest and most stupid spot on the face of the Earth”.
在查尔斯·狄更斯看来，他们家乡的切姆斯福德镇是“地球上最迟钝、最愚蠢的地方”。
Essex Man, shorthand for the archetypal Tory voter of the 1980s, was not meant as a term of affection (“right wing, keen hanger [of people], noisily rambunctious, no subtlety”, explained Campaign, a public-relations trade magazine).
埃塞克斯人是20世纪80年代典型的托利党选民的简称，他们不代表喜爱之情(《竞选》，一本公共关系行业杂志解释说:“右翼，热心肠，吵吵嚷嚷，毫不掩饰”)。
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Essex’s 21st-century image is the gentler one popularised by “The Only Way Is Essex” (TOWIE), a reality-TV show.
21世纪的埃塞克斯形象是由电视真人秀节目“埃塞克斯是唯一的生活方式”(托维)所推广的一种更温和形象。
This is the county of white stilettos, pink prosecco, terracotta blusher and calling people “babes”.
这个郡到处都是穿着白色的细高跟鞋、粉红色普罗塞克葡萄酒色的衣服、涂着赤陶土色的腮红，还管别人叫“宝贝”的人。
But its council has decided a rebrand is in order.
但该郡的委员会已经决定重塑这里的整体形象。
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At the northern border of the Essex it wants to showcase are the landscapes John Constable loved to paint.
在它的北部边界，埃塞克斯想展示约翰·康斯特布尔喜欢画的风景画。
Along its eastern edge stretches the longest coastline of any English county save Cornwall, a mecca for migrating birds and seal-watchers.
它的东部边缘是英国除康沃尔郡以外最长的海岸线，康沃尔郡是候鸟和海豹观察者的胜地。
Nestled in its interior is Colchester, Britain’s oldest recorded town and the first capital of Roman England.
科尔切斯特就坐落在它的内部，它是英国有记录以来最古老的城镇，也是罗马人征服了英格兰后的第一个首都。
TV adverts depicting Essex’s less TOWIE-esque side will air on Sky from March.
从3月份起，电视广告中描绘埃塞克斯不太托维式的内容将在英国天空电视台播出。
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At stake is more than pride. Britons were becoming more partial to “stay cations” even before the pandemic.
要紧的不仅仅是自尊。甚至在疫情之前，英国人就变得更偏爱“宅度假”。
Since 2020, covid-related travel restrictions have supercharged that trend, giving domestic holidays a boost that could endure.
自2020年以来，与新冠疫情相关的旅行限制推动了这一趋势，给国内度假带来了可能持续的助力。
Yet Essex’s tourist board feels that stereotypes about the county have eclipsed its potential as a destination.
然而，埃塞克斯的旅游委员会认为，人们对该郡的刻板印象已经使其作为旅游目的地的潜力受损。
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A successful rebrand, whether of a company or a county, is a tricky balancing act.
无论对于公司还是郡县来说，一次成功的形象重塑都意味着平衡利弊事情很棘手。
For Nick Cooper of Landor & Fitch, a branding agency, the most important components are differentiation and relevance.
对于品牌顾问公司浪涛的尼克·库珀来说，最重要的部分是差异化和相关性。
Differentiation is about how much a brand stands out from others—and here Essex already scores highly. (Unlike, say, Lincolnshire, it at least conjures up a mental image.)
差异化是指如何让一个品牌可以脱颖而出——埃塞克斯在这方面得分很高。（与林肯郡等地不同，埃塞克斯至少能让人在脑海中产生画面感。）
Relevance is a brand’s ability to make people feel like they have a connection with it.
相关性是指一个品牌让人们觉得自己与它有联系的能力。
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Tweak either to appeal to new customers, though, and you risk putting off the existing ones.
但是，为了吸引新客户而进行调整，就有可能牺牲现有客户的风险。
Promoting Essex’s posher side is a fine idea. But it was TOWIE that put it on the map.
宣传埃塞克斯好的一面是个不错的主意。但是是“托维”让它出名的。
（恭喜读完，本篇英语词汇量445左右）
原文出自：2022年2月19日《The Economist》Britain版块。
精读笔记来源于：自由英语之路
本文翻译整理：Fei Min
本文编辑校对: Irene
仅供个人英语学习交流使用。
【补充资料】（来自百科）
埃塞克斯郡（英语：Essex）是英国东英格兰大区的郡，位于英国东南部，郡政府驻地位于切尔姆斯福德。埃塞克斯郡面积为3670平方千米，人口达1,393,600人（2011年）。
埃塞克斯郡位于英国东南部，泰晤士河和斯陶尔河两河河口，西靠伦敦，东临北海，与北欧及斯堪的纳维亚沿岸隔海相望。面积3673平方公里，人口约150万，下辖14个城市，首府为切姆斯福德市。
【重点句子】（3个）
That is lucky, because Britons’ fondness for regional cattiness has long been indulged at their expense.
这是幸运的，因为他们纵容英国人对他们进行地区性毒舌调侃的喜好。
A successful rebrand, whether of a company or a county, is a tricky balancing act.
无论对于公司还是郡县来说，一次成功的形象重塑都意味着平衡利弊的事情很棘手。
Tweak either to appeal to new customers, though, and you risk putting off the existing ones.
但是，为了吸引新客户而进行调整，就有可能牺牲现有客户的风险。
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