A designer who recently created an eye-popping campaign for David Beckham has thrown his weight behind an initiative aimed at celebrating the best of the West Midlands' industrial designs.

Alasdhair Willis – who is the other half of Stella McCartney – has backed the IDEA Birmingham project by designing a series of posters which will be going up around 200 sites in Birmingham at the start of April.

IDEA Birmingham has brought together a group of influential business leaders to promote great brands and products using the campaign theme, Birmingham Made Me – The Original Design City which will be the theme of the poster campaign.

The Birmingham Made Me campaign showcases world-beating innovations from the Midlands which has produced designs such as the Land Rover Defender, AGA Range cooker, Pashley Clubman bicycle and Brooks England saddles together with new hybrid supercar concept, the Jaguar C-X75, named the Most Significant Concept Vehicle in Detroit 2011, as one of the vehicles most likely to shape the future of the automotive industry.

“These, and a great deal more, will be on view at Birmingham’s first design EXPO in well over 100 years,” said Beverley Nielsen, Director Employer Engagement at Birmingham City University.

The summer EXPO, due to be held at the Mailbox from June 15 to 22, is being organised by IDEA Birmingham founder members with the support of the Mailbox.

Mr Willis has been supporting the work of Beverley Nielsen and colleagues at Birmingham City University, together with Stuart Kendall, strategy partner at Cogent Elliott, one of the largest advertising agencies outside London.

Mr Kendall said: “We are so lucky that he has invested this time and energy into developing this focused and beautifully-executed campaign.

“We need to drive more business success and growth through increased collaboration. Gaining a greater reputation for our design excellence can make great strides in moving our region forward.”

IDEA Birmingham includes business leaders such as founder chairman Ian Callum, director of design at Jaguar, William McGrath, group chief executive at AGA Rangemaster, Glenn Howells of Glenn Howells Architects, and Aston University. The campaign has the support of Birmingham City Council and JCDecaux.

www.ideabirmingham.co.uk/birmingham-made-me

>More: Beverley Nielsen Blog - The original Design City >