Small City Branding Around the World

Successful City Branding: Don’t Hire a Painter if You Need an Architect

We have recently encountered situations where advertising, web design, visual design and communications agencies pitch for, and win, the development of brand strategies for cities and regions with disastrous results. Unfortunately, few of these agencies had any tourism or city brand planning credentials. Brand planning can be a very confusing situation for city leaders and marketers or panelists on a selection committee. In some cases, unsuspecting locals have been lured by the “glitter” of the advertising examples and designs presented by these agencies, causing them to lose sight of their original Request for Proposal (RFP), objectives and the role of advertising and designs in the development of a city branding strategy.

We understand the need for ambitious cities to have great advertising, designs and communications. But those actions come after the overall strategic framework is established. Otherwise, it is like engaging a painter to design your home because you like the colors he chooses and how he will finish the job. The first step is to establish the right architecture for the house with a specialist architect.

The first important consideration is to recognize that brand strategy development and marketing implementation are not the same thing. The project should be divided into two stages: (1) the formulation of the brand strategy, requiring strong brand research, analytical and strategic skills, as well as a detailed knowledge of tourism, economic development, experience development and placemaking, and (2) the strategy and marketing implementation, possibly requiring advertising agency, web design, public relations agency, and social media expertise. And it isn’t a marketing plan! While some firms will claim to do both strategy development and implementation, it pays to gain a clear understanding of the depth of their city and destination brand strategy experience. Recruit specialists appropriate to each phase.

The branding firm selected for strategy development must have the capacity to also consider organizational issues, partner relations, tourism and relocation dynamics, economic development, experience development and investment, as well as placemaking and wayfinding – and yes, they must also be creative and capable of designing a knockout visual identity system.

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Is Glasgow Heading in The Right Direction for Its City Brand?

Over the years I have admired the way in which Glasgow, Scotland overcame its reputation for urban and industrial decay to be recognized as European City of Culture in 1990. In recent decades Glasgow has also been at the forefront in developing several brand strategies to define and project its identity. Glasgow City Council is once again “set to launch a new brand” and the media reports have me scratching my head. Firstly, I must say that journalists frequently don’t understand city branding and often try to boil it down to a catchy slogan, hence the reports may not reflect the true picture.

What I am puzzled by is: 

- Why does Glasgow feel the need to turn out a new brand strategy every few years, and not simply fine-tune the current brand? I sense that it’s because they can’t get past the slogan or tagline. Once the brand identity is revealed, that should be fairly timeless, then adjusted for changes in the city over time. 

- The article states, “the incumbent Glasgow: Scotland with Style launched in 2004 has served the city well.” Then why keep completely changing it? Or is it the tagline they want to change and not the brand strategy underpinning it? Or was the brand and tagline really off the mark in the first place? 

- Why embark on an extensive public consultation process before appointing a specialist firm to direct the brand planning and creative processes? That firm might have proprietary tools to generate even better research outcomes, buy-in and community input. 

- Again, if the Scotland with Style branding has been so successful, why potentially dilute and weaken it by extending it to “medical science, technology and engineering”? It may create a sense of kumbaya within the city but may not resonate as strongly with tourism audiences as does the current destination branding. Again, why start from a blank piece of paper? 

An over-emphasis on the power of a slogan or tagline. Attributing the city’s success in “luring business to the tune of £975 bill.” to the tagline and stating it helped “helped bring the UEFA Cup Final in 2007” distracts from the underlying strategies and actions of partners that underpin the brand. And Glasgow’s brand isn’t its slogan or tagline. This thinking builds false expectations among stakeholders as to the role of branding and the capacity of taglines to directly generate business.

I hope that I am responding to inaccurate media reports and not a fixation on getting a new tagline, which may in turn be replaced with the next city administration. A city brand should run much deeper and tap into the timeless character and essence of the place.

Brand Planning Should be the CEO’s Baby

At the conclusion of a recent presentation on place branding, I was approached by the CEO of a mid-west Chamber of Commerce who lamented that their brand planning had resulted in a bland and uncompetitive outcome. To my surprise, the CEO went on to take the blame himself by saying, “I made the mistake of delegating the project to our marketing manager and not taking responsibility to drive the process myself.” I’m sure that he hasn’t made the admission within his community or to his Board, but it’s commendable that he recognized this as being a major factor in the brand's mediocre result.

The president, executive director, or CEO of the organization leading the effort on behalf of the community must be actively engaged in every aspect of the brand planning and development, and breathe vitality into the assignment. We have found that the only way for the brand to take off is having a leader who “gets it” and has the passion, authority, skills and vision to make it work. If he or she takes a passive role, the brand will almost certainly fail.

Understandably, there may be many legitimate distractions that consume the CEO’s time. However, the brand is at the heart of every activity directed toward the way the place will present itself for years to come, so it is worth every minute that he or she can devote to it. While the CEO may want to delegate aspects of the day-to-day management of the process to others, he must remain intimately involved in crafting and managing the strategy. 

Developing a Place Brand Calls for a Different Approach

When discussing the differences in branding places and consumer products with friends in advertising agencies, they frequently maintain that there is no difference between the two. To some extent they are correct. However there are differences that have a profound influence on the brand planning, brand implementation and brand management. These relate to the complexities of ownership, consultation, decision-making, product development, and experience delivery.

The path to revealing a city or place brand can be a tricky one that usually involves a multitude of stakeholders and departs somewhat from that generally followed for branding corporate products and services.  One reason for the variation is the composite nature of places which are a compilation of many independent and competing businesses, products, and experiences that are owned and managed by many different organizations with no single management team or custodian. 

A city has many faces and identities. For instance, it may be known as a destination or medical services, golf, education and shopping as well as being home for esidents, each with different levels of political, financial and community support. Gaining consensus can be challenging.

Here is an extract from my book, Destination Branding for Small Cities which provides more insights into the differences between branding places and physical consumer products and services.

Washington State Legislators Didn't Get the Memo

I was pleased to read the report “Travel Means Jobs” by the U.S. Travel Association which highlighted the growing awareness of the role that tourism can play in the US economy. Unfortunately, the Washington State legislature didn’t get the memo because its new draft budget again provides no funding for tourism marketing.   

Two years ago the state tourism office was closed when State funds were originally cut. Since then the state has lost market share. The State’s move made Washington the first state in the country with no state money to promote itself. To help fill the void, the tourism industry formed the Washington Tourism Alliance to maintain a basic website and visitor brochure. The Alliance has requested $1.2 million in State funding to assist them in transitioning to a new funding model, but unfortunately state legislators have nixed this as well.

A Longwoods study shows that when funding for the Colorado tourism office was removed the state lost $2 bill in tourism income and experienced a 30% decrease in market share between 1993 and 1997.

The Travel Means Jobs report makes great reading, but somehow Washington State legislators seem to believe that the following situations do not or should not apply to Washington. The report states, “At a time when elected officials are searching for solutions to sluggish growth, unemployment, globalization, and continued economic challenges, an answer lies in travel. Travel plays a critical role in the nation’s economy. As an indispensable source of American jobs, the travel industry has served not only as a ticket to opportunity during tough economic times, but with the right support in place, it can lead a path to future prosperity.

The historical, current and future impact of travel on American jobs is explained through three contributing characteristics: the industry’s geographic breadth, the distinct nature and makeup of travel jobs, and the tremendous opportunity for continued expansion and growth.

Travel jobs cannot be outsourced; while other jobs have been shipped overseas, jobs tied to national parks, iconic cities and beautiful shorelines can no more be outsourced than the attractions themselves. Travel represents America’s largest export industry. Those exports directly support 1.1 million American jobs, which will only continue to rise as the U.S. attracts new visitors from rapidly emerging markets around the world.

To boost travel requires investment and support. At a time of job shortages and budget deficits, encouraging more travel would serve as a massive stimulus at no cost to taxpayers. For the American economy, there is no better deal than travel, and no faster path to recovery.”

Didn’t we fight this battle in the 1970’s? It amazes me how some politicians are so keen to raise funds to advertise themselves to win office, but when it’s time to invest in the economic well-being of their state, county or city, they have amnesia.  

Change Management is at the Heart of Successful City Branding

After decades of developing brand strategies for places of all sizes, I recognize that to be successful they are fundamentally an exercise in change management. Success invariably involves shifts, changes and new focus that can leave some feeling disempowered or losing. For others, they simply don’t like anything outside of the usual routine. I have found that when leaders are prepared for resistance they are in a better position to unify stakeholders and nurture the support and actions that are needed.

A successful place brand often requires changes to regulations, laws, systems, budgets, processes, resources, and recruitment. Above all, it may call for a change of attitudes and relationships. The first casualty may be the old “that’s the way we’ve always done it” attitude. For many people, the prospect of innovation, along with new focus, concepts, priorities, and partnerships causes extreme resistance. It removes them from their comfort zone and challenges entrenched attitudes. In these situations you need to expose key partners and stakeholders to the benefits that can come from alternative approaches so they can gain the confidence and trust in the project and its outcomes.

Here is an extract from my book, Destination Branding for Small Cities which provides more insights into the need to prepare to engage the principles of change management when branding destinations and cities.

What Can Cities and Destinations Learn From Volkswagen?

 

One of the essential mantras for successful branding is to over-deliver on your promise and focus on the experiential qualities of the brand. Many places really struggle with this concept and all too often look to their frontline staff to smile more in the belief that this is all it takes to deliver a satisfying destination experience. The truth is that outstanding experiences are given life at the highest echelons of an organization, city or destination and are respected as strategic imperatives requiring visionary leadership and commitment. Frontline staff can then do their best at implementing that vision. Great destination experiences should be baked in not sprinkled on!

Last week I received a link to showing the Volkswagen experience at its Dresden Transparent Factory for both visitors and customers wanting to buy a new VW Phaeton. It’s worth taking the time to see how Volkswagen has transformed the entire auto production process around the customer experience. This is an excellent example of the responsibility for customer experience being held at every level of the organization, particularly the highest levels, and at every point throughout the customer’s total brand experience.    

If the delivery of a motor vehicle can be redesigned in such an innovative way, just imagine what could happen for our cities and other destinations if we really placed the customer’s experience at the center of future planning efforts. 

Mankato MN Brand Rallies Community Support

                              Last week I blogged about how Plymouth, England was at a pivotal point in its brand development where it had to get everyone on the same page. Plymouth seemed to be trying to rally key stakeholder support after the strategy was released to the public. In contrast, last week I received a copy of the brand video produced by Visit Mankato (MN) to support the release of their brand strategy. I was fortunate to work with Visit Mankato and many of its community and business leaders in defining their brand strategy and planning for its city-wide adoption.

Among other things, I was most impressed to see that the presenters are members of the Brand Advisory Committee, community leaders and other residents who had been on an eight month journey in the brand planning process. Integral to that process was encouraging community outreach, engagement, education and adoption of the brand.

We have learnt that communities that are most successful with their brand development are those that don’t wait until the end to generate support. Adoption and investment in the brand should be nurtured from the earliest stages. It is gratifying to see how some in Mankato, throughout the process, have transitioned from being healthy skeptics to avid brand champions.  The cross-city partnerships that are forming to support the brand are already strengthening how Mankato presents itself in media communications, but is also resulting in enhancements to its trails and cultural programs, further underpinning the viability of the brand. Well done Mankato!   

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By the way, when will a newspaper get the message that a city’s brand strategy is much more than the logo? Despite the wide ranging elements to the strategy the headline to the article cannot get past the logo. I guess no matter how hard you work across a community, there’s always a few who are slow to get the full picture!

Plymouth's Ocean City Brand Calls For Broad Support

There is no doubt that the city brand strategy announced last week for Plymouth (England) is on the money when founding the brand on the city’s maritime heritage. Though being ‘Britain’s Ocean City’ might cast the net a bit too broad, it does encompass the port’s role in the nation’s history. After all, this is the port city from which Sir Francis Drake sailed, Britain established its long naval dominance, the Pilgrim Fathers departed for America,  and where Allied troops prepared for the Normandy invasion in World War II. It’s certainly far more appropriate than the previous tagline, ‘Positively Plymouth’.

While on one hand, Plymouth’s city brand is rightly founded on its rich maritime heritage, David Parlby, chief executive of Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, is keeping it real by reminding government officials that they must invest resources to make it successful. This investment should be directed toward not only communications, but also the experiences to support the maritime proposition. Mr. Parlby is correct because this brand provides a foundation for economic development as well as tourism and recreation. It is a beacon providing  opportunities for investment by public, private and non-profit organizations to foster new businesses, attractions and precincts inspired by the brand.  

Plymouth is now at the pivotal point that determines the success of city brands – getting everyone on the same page. My advice for the citizens of Plymouth is to get behind this effort because they really don’t have a next best option. Their port is of international significance because it is tied to so many historical events and to ignore this is to overlook credentials that few other cities in the world can claim.

The Bahamas Introduces Innovative Sustainability Model

The Bahamas has been a leader in destination branding for decades. One of the critical elements underpinning its brand identity is its pristine marine environment and wildlife, particularly
those associated with the cays. So I was very impressed to see the work this small nation is doing to ensure the sustainability of one of its most precious resources, The Exuma Cays. The Exuma Cays are a chain of about 50 small islands and hundreds of little cays in the central Bahamas.

My colleague, Dr. Simon McArthur of Total Tourism Solutions, is building a Sustainable Tourism Model for the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (ECLSP). The project is the first of its kind in the
region and aims to provide an adaptive, fluid model for managing tourism across the Bahamas, starting with the Exuma Cays as a pilot area.

It is interesting that Dr. McArthur is developing a model, rather than a management plan. This is a new approach toward sustainable tourism. Dr. McArthur explains, “There is a tremendous difference between a management plan and a model. This is really a big shift for The Bahamas to take on as they are moving from the traditional and rather static form of tourism and visitor management to a more fluid and flexible model. The Model acknowledges that the tourism environment keeps changing and, so the model triggers management action when the data prompts the need – what we call adaptive management.”

The first two parts of the three part Sustainable Tourism Model for Exuma Cays has been placed on exhibition for all interested parties to critique and comment. If you are interested, you can review and comment on the report.

The natural environment underpins the brand identity and economy of thousands of destinations. Too few are taking steps such as these to ensure their sustainability and future prosperity.

End the Guessing Games! We Need Budget Disclosure in RFPs.

Last week, I had a rather unusual phone call from a CVB executive. She was enquiring as to whether her CVB should include the budget in the Request For Proposal (RFP) for destination branding they were preparing to send out. The person went on to enquire as to whether including the budget might actually deter “the big companies from bidding”.   My reaction was instantaneous. Firstly, you might not want “the big companies” bidding.  But by telling them the budget they would then know whether they should even bother bidding.

Secondly, I told her that I thought knowing the budget or budget range for the project is extremely important to prospective bidders and that I guessed that most of our competitors would think so as well. I asked the CVB exec, “Would you walk into a car dealership and not tell the salesperson approximately how much you are looking to spend? How is the salesperson to know if you want a luxury or standard model?”

The equivalent of this happens every day when cities do not disclose their budget and this leaves the consultancy to play a guessing game in trying to estimate the budget and scope of services that they should include in their response.  A better approach is to disclose the budget and then evaluate the proposed deliverables according to their appropriateness, quality and value.

The RFP process is frustrating enough. At least disclosing the budget will save many of us the frustration of “guessing how many jelly beans are in the jar.”

Will ‘American Dream Composite Index’ Enhance Place Branding and Marketing?

For several years, nations and global cities have been able to monitor their brand equity and performance using The Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index and The Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index. These indices have provided a consistent framework to measure perceptions of nations and major international cities on the basis of six key factors that impact their reputation.  Having easy-to-use analytical tools like these allows brand managers to develop and monitors strategies and policies.

A ranking index of American states has now been initiated. Strengthening Brand America in collaboration with Xavier University, has released the first annual American Dream State Ranking Report. The Report ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia on their American Dream Composite Index™ (ADCI) score.

It reveals what people living in the USA do, strive for, work for, wish for, and ultimately hope for in their daily lives.  It is the first measurement that quantifies the American Dream in its entirety. It gauges the authenticity of the American Dream by assessing the extent to which people living in the USA are achieving it.

The idea is for elected officials to use the data to evaluate short falls in state performance. And identify opportunities for improvement to enable more of the American Dream to be achieved by people living in their state.  Importantly, CEOs can compare states to help determine where it will be most advantageous for them to establish business operations so their employees will live in a state where the American Dream is more easily realized.

To test the viability and usefulness of the rankings for business executives, a market research study was conducted to determine if the data would be beneficial to those making site selection decisions.  Interestingly, the study concluded three important things:

• Executives will use the score to differentiate between locations under final consideration
• Executives believe a higher ADCI score provides desirable business benefits
• A surprising percent of executives would likely to definitely not consider relocating their business to a state with a lower ADCI score even if incentives were offered

No doubt the Index is going to be controversial because of the surprising rankings of some states. After all, in just about every focus group and survey we conduct of local communities, we find that residents always cite theirs as the best place in the nation to “live, work and play”. Hopefully the ADCI will gain traction and finally quantify the rankings at a state level and assist in moving the discussion onto a more solid footing. Of course, after that comes a need to provide the rankings at a city level!

What is Branded Wayfinding?

We receive many emails and calls from city leaders, practitioners and students around the world. I’ve decided to share some of the responses and added comments with readers of this blog.

This email is from Doris at the economic development department of a small city in Washington State, “Should we proceed with our city’s new wayfinding system before we finish the brand research process that is about to start? Some councilors are asking whether the wayfinding designs might work as our city brand. ”

Doris, I would strongly suggest that you wait until the brand planning process is complete. Otherwise, this could become a case of placing the cart before the horse! Just as some make the mistake of confusing a logo with a brand, some confuse the design of a wayfinding system as being their community brand. A brand is much more than a design, and branded wayfinding is more than a series of attractively designed signs.  A branded wayfinding system should be inspired by, and integral to, the community’s brand strategy. Not the other way around!

There is a symbiotic relationship between the brand and the wayfinding system. It ties the brand to the physical environment and creates an emotional attachment for people by creating familiarity and reassurances as well as new experiences and encounters. Branded wayfinding provides an added level of benefits and purpose to an otherwise generic signage or wayfinding system. In addition to its basic functionality in providing orientation and navigation, a branded system introduces personality, storytelling, and arouses the senses and stimulates emotions through its connection to the core values of the city brand. This contributes toward a deeper relationship between the place and its key audiences.

In order for a wayfinding system to support a brand and provide outstanding experiences at critical touchpoints, a city brand should be fully developed and ready for implementation before the first visual concept for wayfinding is explored. A brand is the nucleus around which all communications, including wayfinding and key experiences must revolve. A branded wayfinding system is inspired by the priorities, logo, colors, key words, style, fonts, emotional benefits, and personality outlined in the brand manual and visual identity style guides.

Imagine entering a McDonald’s restaurant, Starbucks store, or Shell service station and being greeted by completely unfamiliar products, designs, colors, services and symbols. Meaningful brands don’t display this type of dissonance or schizophrenia.  However, this is a common occurrence in how many places present themselves.  This most commonly happens where decision-makers within a city are confined to their organizational silos (and their associated budgets) and set out to design a wayfinding system from scratch without reference to the destination or community brand. The result is a disconnect on many levels between the communications that prospective visitors receive before arrival and the nature of the city and its wayfinding system.

This is a situation that Doris and her city should avoid at all costs.

Fifteen Common Place Branding Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Adopting a city brand offers tremendous rewards if done correctly. However, sometimes these well-meaning efforts introduce levels of complexity and pitfalls which could easily have been avoided if leaders had understood the nuances of brand planning for cities.

Many city branding projects get off to a great start with a lot of publicity and energy, only to soon run out of steam. Their momentum starts to lag, fresh ideas are not as frequent, designs start to miss their mark, and suddenly the brand has faded, it is confused, and becomes very fuzzy to customers and stakeholders. Here are some of the fifteen common pitfalls that can contribute to these situations are:

1. Insufficient Understanding Of Branding 
2. Lack of Stakeholder Buy-in
3. Failure to Grasp the Scope of Branding
4. Focusing On Short-Term Results
5. Forgetting The Customer’s View 
6. Disagreeing What is Being Branded
7. Insufficient or Irrelevant Research
8. The Weak Positioning Trap
9. Not Following the Strategy
10. The Lure of “Bright Shiny Objects”
11. Forgetting to Deliver What You Promise
12. Unhelpful Mindsets 
13. Brand Fatigue 
14. Going It Alone as a DIY Project
15. Not Engaging Specialist Skills

More information .......

Objectivity and Know-how Are Essential for Sustainable Place Brands

We receive many emails and calls from city leaders, practitioners and students around the world. I’ve decided to share some of the responses with readers of this blog.

This email is from Brian at a small Mid-west chamber of commerce, “Is it possible for a local committee to brainstorm and decide our city brand without using an agency or consultant?”

In these tough economic times we are seeing an increasing number of communities try to define their brand identity themselves, without professional assistance. Periodically, this approach works out, but usually the end result is an anemic proposition that has been diluted to gain agreement and avoid dissent.

A major challenge for community leaders who adopt the do-it-yourself approach is being objective and customer-focused. This may be the place where participants were born and educated, and these locals sometimes have a bias that limits their view of the city from the perspective of a prospective outside visitor, investor or new resident. They frequently bypass serious competitor analysis or a detailed review of external customers’ needs and perceptions. The results consistently demonstrate the need for qualified outside advice and guidance to lend the impartiality and objectivity that is often very difficult to get from within the community. Some of the communities we have worked with initially attempted to define their brand positioning and identity themselves. After struggling with their own internal dynamics, they realized that an outside specialist can succeed with breakthrough ideas where stagnation, acrimony and local politics may otherwise limit progress because of limited understanding, entrenched attitudes and a reluctance to cooperate with long-standing opponents.

Engaging outside specialists also allows the place to harness the experience and skills that may not be available locally. A qualified consultant can guide the leadership through all of the difficult analysis and decisions that may be overlooked or glossed over by locals. Many cities and even their communications agencies have an increasing appreciation for the expertise needed to address the complexities and demands of place branding. We have experienced this when some advertising agencies have wisely recognized that they were not place brand strategists and hired us to develop the brand strategy component for their clients.

Developing a place branding strategy that will be truly distinctive, resonate with target audiences, deliver outstanding experiences and unify stakeholders can be very tricky. It calls for collaboration with an experienced, qualified place branding specialist. 

Disney “Commandments” = Great Learning for Cities and Downtowns

I recently came across the informal guidelines that have inspired and guided generations of Disney Imagineers as they design and manage the Disney theme parks and guest experiences. These guidelines are based on the original insights that Walt Disney used when he built Disneyland in 1955.  But it was Marty Sklar who documented these principles and called them “Mickey’s Ten Commandments: Ten Things You Can’t Forget When You Design a Theme Park”. Sklar was one of the unsung heroes of Disney. He joined Disney one month before Disneyland opened, and until his retirement in 2009 directed the Imagineers using these Commandments.

The Commandments are very simple and the principles can be applied to many situations related to tourism development, branding and marketing, urban planning and visitor experience management.

1. Know your audience - Don't bore people, talk down to them, or lose them by assuming that they know what you know.

2. Wear your guest's shoes - Insist that designers, staff, and your board members experience your facility as visitors as often as possible.

3. Organize the flow of people and ideas – Use good storytelling techniques, tell good stories not lectures, lay out your exhibit with a clear logic.

4. Create a ‘weenie’ – Lead visitors from one area to another by creating visual magnets and giving visitors rewards for making the journey.

5. Communicate with visual literacy – Make good use of all the non-verbal ways of communication – color, shape, form, texture.

6. Avoid overload – Resist the temptation to tell too much, to have too many objects, don’t force people to swallow more than they can digest, try to stimulate and provide guidance to those who want more.

7. Tell one story at a time – If you have a lot of information divide it into distinct, logical, organized stories. People can absorb and retain information more clearly if the path to the next concept is clear and logical.

8. Avoid contradiction – Clear institutional identity helps give you the competitive edge. The public needs to know who you are and what differentiates you from other institutions they may have seen. (Yes, Walt Disney was advocating the principles of branding long before they were applied to places.)

9. For every ounce of treatment, provide a ton of fun – How do you woo people from all other temptations? Give people plenty of opportunity to enjoy themselves by emphasizing ways that let them participate in the experience and by making your environment rich and appealing to all of the senses.

10. Keep it up – Never underestimate the importance of cleanliness and routine maintenance,
people expect to get a good show every time, people will comment more on a broken and dirty environment.

In suggesting Disney principles and techniques I am not advocating the “Disneyfication” of cities and downtowns. Make no mistake, Disney properties are theme parks. They are not city or community downtowns where residents live, work, study and play. However, Disney locations have raised best practice standards in visitor experience design and consequently provide excellent learning opportunities for ambitious communities.   The genius of Walt Disney never ceases to amaze me, along with lessons from his systems that we can apply to communities everywhere.  

Repositioning Chengdu, China Beyond Pandas

The announcement of a new mega infrastructure project or a new city in China is so commonplace these days that they seem to blend together. However, what is happening with Chengdu in Southwest China has really caught my attention. It was the advertising on CNN International that first caught my eye a few months ago. This was part of a high-profile campaign launched in 2010 to attract more tourists. But now, this effort to brand Chengdu as ‘The Home of the Panda’ has been superseded by the need to position the city in global investments markets. This will take more than cute pandas.

The campaigns featuring pandas have been successful, but leaders have now turned to global agencies for advice in transitioning to a more competitive identity. They have also announced the creation of a tiny pocket city that will be constructed on the outskirts of Chengdu. The master plan for this innovative city is being designed by Chicago firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. To be constructed next to crowded Chengdu, the new city, called The Great City will host 30,000 families, or  approximately 80,000 people. The amazing thing is that the entire Great City will cover just 0.5 square mile. This is the approximate area of just 245 football fields. Given this small area, the plan is for the city to enable you to walk anywhere within 15 minutes.

The competition between China’s Tier 2 cities for international tourism and investment is intense. It’s going to be interesting to see how Chengdu repositions itself beyond pandas and continues to invest in infrastructure and urban development on a massive scale to support its repositioning.   

Can India Truly Develop as a Compelling and Durable International Brand?

As a place branding specialist and the father of two young ladies I have paid close attention in recent weeks to the brutal rape and murder of a young woman on a New Delhi bus, the ensuing global outrage and the possible implications for India. A country that I admire very much.

As consumers, before we can consider the higher level benefits that we may derive from visiting a destination, we must firstly satisfy ourselves that it is going to be a safe place to visit. There is no doubt that despite the enormous gains made by New Delhi, Mumbai and other Indian cities over the past decade, this assault and murder has dealt a blow to their reputation, and quite possibly the perception of India’s attractiveness as a destination.

For weeks this story has been generating worldwide outrage. Global media outlets such as the BBC and CNN International have closely followed this evolving story on a daily basis, revealing that assaults on women in India are not only common, but to date have frequently been ignored by police, politicians and other authorities. It’s this perception that assaults on women are a systemic problem that poses the greatest problem for India, its cities and the tourism industry. The country must show that tolerance of any form of abuse on women is not only unacceptable, but that indifference toward it has been eradicated from Indian society.

What we are witnessing is India’s rapid development as an industrialized society and some aspects of Indian society have not kept pace. India is evolving from a mainly poor, agrarian country to a more urbanized, modern nation driven by a booming well-educated, middle-class. While women are central to the new economy, many traditional attitudes toward women remain. The Economist reports, “The UN’s human rights chief calls rape in India a ‘national problem’. Rapes and the ensuing deaths (often from suicide), are routinely described in India’s press. Although many more attacks go unreported to the public or police.” 

If India is going to truly develop as a compelling and durable international brand it must seriously reform the issues that enable this form of assault to occur, eradicate apathy toward it and address the flood of negative publicity that will not go away soon.

Australia Honors Paul Hogan for ‘Shrimp on the Barbie’

I’m pleased to see that later this month Australia will honor Paul Hogan for his role as a spokesperson for the Australian Tourist Commission (now Tourism Australia), and specifically, the iconic “Come and Say G’Day” campaign. Yes, that’s right. The term, “"I'll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you” was simply the final line of the first television commercial created by Australian ad agency, MOJO. It wasn’t a tagline and wasn’t even the theme of the campaign. Yet it is now a term known to generations around the world because it is a catchphrase that has been used in many movies, comedy routines and parodies. Simply Googling the term generates about 180,000 results.

While based in New York I was fortunate to be one of the executive team overseeing this campaign that catapulted Australia to “most desired nation” status. In fact, I was the only person to have been involved throughout the full seven years of the campaign – except, of course for Hogan. This provides me with a unique perspective of what is regarded as one of the most successful and memorable campaigns ever launched in the USA by a foreign country. For many Americans it is still "top of mind" when you mention Australia, and some can readily recall some of the key lines almost thirty years after the first ad ran.

We knew that we had something special even before the first ad appeared, but were totally surprised by its immediate impact, the cult following that it generated, and its longevity. Yet to this day, the campaign remains very misunderstood and sometimes disparaged in Australia.

We all saw Hogan as the ideal spokesperson because at the time ‘Hoges’ epitomized the Australian brand persona in presenting friendliness, the Australian accent, a cheeky sense of humor, and a sunny invitation at a time when Americans were concerned by terrorism abroad (sound familiar?) and the need to feel welcome when they traveled. Hogan said that he always played himself - the former lifeguard, union organizer and Sydney Harbour Bridge worker - who stumbled onto television when his work mates dared him to enter a talent show (today’s version of “Australia’s Got Talent’).

In Australia, the campaign was controversial because many felt that Hogan did not represent the "average Australian" or the "cultural" side of the country. Many saw him as somewhat of a redneck, relating him to the everyday working class characters he portrayed in his television programs, and not Paul Hogan the highly skilled communicator and actor. Two years after the launch of these ads, Crocodile Dundee was released and it is still the highest grossing Australian movie of all time.

At the time (and even today), most Australians failed to see Australia (and Hogan) through the eyes of their overseas customers. Significant debate took place regarding the term "shrimp" as many in Australia wanted it to be called a "prawn," the name Australians called that size crustacean. The USA-based team insisted on "shrimp:" and the results certainly justified that decision. Today when developing destination brands, we tend to be influenced by the opinions and values of local stakeholders –an approach that we strongly advocate. However, in this case, if it had been left to the stakeholders, one of the best-ever travel marketing campaigns would never have been launched.

There were great ad creatives and many unheralded individuals and organizations who contributed to the ultimate success of the campaign. But in those early days it was Hogan’s ability to break through the media clutter and connect with Americans on an emotional level that made the difference. In Australia, the campaign transformed the Australian tourism industry. It clearly demonstrated the economic value and benefits of international tourism and the ROI to be gained when tourism marketing moved to the forefront of the federal government's agenda.

Well done, mate!

Here is an article I wrote with Peggy Bendel summarizing the campaign. Although written seven years ago, it still presents an accurate overview of the campaign.

How Should You Assess a Destination Tagline?

Rarely a week goes by when we don’t see another round of city and destination slogans and taglines announced. Some are pretty good, many are plain lame, insipid and self-congratulatory, and some are just downright infuriating.

A tagline is a word or short phrase that captures the spirit of the brand promise and its essence. It can be a tease, a short descriptor, a call to action or an explanation, and succinctly stated in no more than five words.  Too many destination taglines are simply examples of marketing speak or clichés that do nothing to advance the identity of the place. Many end up with a tagline that is so
esoteric that it needs extensive (and expensive) marketing communications to convey its meaning. Few small cities have the marketing budgets to communicate the meaning and relevance of their taglines through advertising.

All tagline options should be tested before they are approved by gauging the reactions of target audiences through research. However, prior to undertaking that research the following filters may be helpful as you initially assess the various options:

• It captures and dramatizes the brand promise
• It’s ownable and not the same or similar to other places
• It hints at a reward, benefit or experience that customers value and can expect
• It’s short, usually less than five words
• It works with, and enhances, the logo
• It’s credible, sustainable and matches the reality of the place
• It’s easy to remember
• It does not have negative connotations

In a nutshell, a tagline (and logo) should act as a trigger or cue to aid recall of the positive associations that the place is known for. Too frequently, the power and role of a tagline is
over-emphasized, i.e. no one will respond positively to a tagline and then decide to visit a place if they haven’t also been exposed to other compelling stimuli about the place. Let’s hope that in 2013 we see a lot less of the insipid and self-congratulatory efforts and more well-researched and meaningful taglines.

Top Seven Place Branding Posts of 2012

During 2012, I covered a lot of territory within the practice of place and destination branding, many included places around the world.  Blogs covering many locations in the USA, as well as  Morocco, India, East Africa, and Canada, and even Homer Simpson generated considerable interest. 

But it was the more hands-on information involving “how to’s” that recorded the most attention.  Interestingly, many of the most popular related to section in my book, “Destination Branding for Small Cities”.

1. February: Collaboration is Essential to Boost Competitiveness of Some Cities outlined why small cities must decide whether to go it alone, or collaborate with regional partners to present a more relevant value proposition.
2. March: What’s The Difference Between Brand Image and Brand Identity? tackled the confusion between “image” and “identity” and why the difference is important.
3. July: Does Every City Need a Brand? suggested that every city needs a plan to manage its identity and that it takes much more than a catchy nickname or tagline.
4. August: Destination Branding is Difficult and Calls for a Different Approach (Two Parts) made the point that of all the various entities that can be branded, place or destination branding is the most challenging.
5. September: What’s the Difference Between an Advertising Agency and a Brand Consultancy? provided nine excellent points outlining the difference between an ad agency and a brand consultancy. Clarifying the important differences assist brand owners to make informed decisions about who should define their brand.
6. November: What’s Brand Equity and Its Relevance to Destinations? addressed the importance of places adding to their value by generating positive awareness, respect and loyalty through the ways they present themselves.
7. December: “Are Emotional Benefits Always in Your Destination and Place Branding?” highlighted how emotional benefits are the most overlooked, yet most powerful, part of the place branding toolkit.

I hope that you enjoyed my posts during 2012. Are there subjects related to place branding that you would like me to tackle in upcoming blogs?

Have a Happy New Year and a very successful 2013. 

22 Immutable Laws of Place Branding (And a Few More)

I really admire the work that Ed Burghard of The Burghard Group is doing at Strengthening Brand America to advance the thinking in applying private sector branding principles to the field of place branding. His latest contribution is to take on the challenge of translating the landmark 22 Immutable Laws of Branding by Al and Laura Ries into a place branding context.  

I agree with Ed’s 22 Immutable Laws of Place Branding, but because it’s the season for giving, I would like to add two more Laws of Place Branding. These concern circumstances that are possibly more related to place branding than private sector branding and may have been missed from the original treatise.

23. The law of consultation. A place brand should not be defined behind closed doors by a select few. It must be defined and built through collaboration and consultation with multiple, diverse (and sometimes non-traditional) stakeholders to engage, inspire and generate future support and on-brand actions.

24. The law of future generations. The long-term vitality and success of a place brand requires that there be continuity in understanding, knowledge and energy in regard to the brand strategy.  The concept of “passing the baton” to the next generation of elected officials, brand managers and partners must be integral to the original brand strategy.  Without this attention we have seen the brand investments made by some cities become diluted and gradually fade away.  Usually, all that remains is a lonely logo searching for meaning.

Given the nuance and challenges of branding places there are probably other laws we can add to the list. But for the moment, if we pay attention to these we will be strengthening the way in which these brands are defined and managed. Would you like to add more?

Are Emotional Benefits Always in Your Destination and Place Branding?

One of the most overlooked, yet most powerful component in the branding of places is the role of emotional benefits. This was recently the subject of considerable discussion at Strengthening Brand America between Glenn Myatt – Brand Truth, Tom Buncle - The Yellow Railroad, and myself.

Emotional benefits are the positive feelings that people receive from a place. While the tangible benefits may be enticing and important and help validate a logical decision, they can’t create a deep relationship. Emotional benefits have the ability to connect with people and influence the way they feel and bond with their deepest needs and desires. They should fulfill the state of mind that visitors or customers are seeking, such as enrichment, romance, escape or adventure, etc.

Here is a summary of the comments on Strengthening Brand America:

Bill Baker: “From time to time place marketers tend to overlook the valuable role that emotion plays in the decision making of their prospective customers. This makes no sense and is like the buyers of new cars relying on a vehicle's Specifications Manual to base their purchase decision. If emotion plays no role, almost all brochures, advertising, photo images and videos could be removed from marketing budgets because all that will be needed are lists of specifications. Emotion is front and center in all of our brand strategies irrespective of the size of the community. Among its many roles is to provide filters for the selection of appropriate images that reflect the brand and better connect with prospective customers.”

Glen Myatt: “Bill's car analogy is spot on. Deciding on a car or a destination are both high involvement decisions. Typically people use extensive information searching to make their decisions. They will claim they make measured, rational choices because of this. But for cars econometric research has shown that advertising has a far greater impact on actual choice than buyers consciously believe. This lines up with some of the more recent findings in consumer psychology which see that in many situations people will develop an emotional attachment to a choice based on a simple, often irrational factor.”

Tom Buncle: “The only thing I'd add is that, like cars where most people have a limited understanding beyond basic functionality, so too do they when choosing a destination, even if they've been before. This is because each holiday is different and the visitors' experience depends on their relationship with the destination. After a highly rational information search has narrowed the candidate destination set, an unknowable set of expectations is generated about a holiday, thereby creating a gap. Emotion and imagination tend to be quicker to fill this gap than rational analysis - hence the larger role that emotion plays in holiday decision-making compared to most physical products.”

 In all of our brand building work we always advocate that the most powerful, meaningful and appropriate benefits - the emotional rewards - should always be at the forefront. Avoid talking about the city, region or downtown as a series or list of locations, attractions, and things to see and do. Instead, bring it to life as an experience and make customers feel as though they are already there sensing and feeling it whenever they read, see, or hear your communications. Make it easy for people to see themselves in the picture.

You can contribute to discussions like this at Strengthening Brand America.

Will Aviation, Tourism and Place Branding Boom Across Africa?

There are increasing signs that aviation, tourism and the adoption of place branding strategies are about to herald a new era for many African countries and cities.  A growing middle class and consumer demand, coupled with unprecedented interest by private equity firms is fueling growth in a variety of industries across the continent. Reuters reports that “Africa has a youthful and booming population that could almost double to 2 billion by 2050, and includes some of the fastest growing economies in the world, and an emerging middle class which wants everything from banks
and insurance, to places to eat out.” 

Responding to the expanding middle class and increased tourism demand, several discount airlines have commenced services. FastJet commenced in November with services linking Tanzania and Uganda. It is anticipated that services to Kenya, Rwanda and Sudan will be added in the next few months.  South Africa is set to see the introduction of two discount carriers early in 2013. Africa is one of the last locations to experience the introduction of discount carriers and with Emirates now considering a partnership with FastJet, it is a region that is likely to undergo dramatic change.

 Meanwhile, All Africa magazine advocates the need for Kenya to begin adopting the principles of place branding as the nation continues to mature and develop its economy and international reputation. The magazine says, “The struggle for attention and preference is not limited to the contest between countries and cities; even within cities there is a fierce competition between city centres vs. neighbourhoods, big-box retailers vs. main streets, shopping malls (like Village Market vs. Nairobi's crowded Central Business District, which is slowly becoming a "no go zone").”

As Kenya introduces brand strategies across the country for places of all sizes, it’s vital for leaders to pause and take stock of the successes and failures in place branding that have occurred in other countries.  Too many have patted themselves on the back after producing a snappy new tagline or slogan and a bright new logo. But the secret is that these two elements do not create a brand, nor are they at the heart of branding. These are going to be exciting times in the economic and social development of Africa.

A Controversial City Name Change: The New Battle of Stalingrad?

For those with a decent knowledge of world history, the mention of “World War II” and “Russia”, quickly leads to the “Battle of Stalingrad”. This battle was a major turning point of the War. The Atlantic Cities highlights the prospect of the Russian city of Volgograd changing its name back to Stalingrad, as it was known from 1925 to 1961.

The dilemma is causing considerable debate. While Joseph Stalin is considered a vicious tyrant who possibly killed as many as 20 million of his own citizens, many consider that he was also an important figure in the nation’s history. Others point to the patriotic significance of the Battle of Stalingrad as justification to revert to the old name. 

Changing a city name at the best of times can be a minefield and should be approached with great caution and transparency. For a city like Volgograd, there are strong arguments on both sides and the ultimate decision is not likely to be universally welcomed. It’s a highly emotional debate.

While this is an extreme example, changing city and place names should be approached with great caution involving extensive consultation, research and cost-benefit analysis because it will impact every person and organization in the city. 

ImagiNative Alaska Experience to Boost the Anchorage Brand

An element that is often missing from many destination branding efforts is the ongoing investment, innovation and product development to keep the brand fresh and distinctive. This week I came across the ImagiNative Alaska Experience, a project of the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which will consolidate the downtown Anchorage brand as a center of Native arts. The plan is to embed Native arts throughout the city by way of permanent and temporary interventions, including public art commissions, performances, art markets, small business training, a roving Native Art cart and cultural flash mobs.

Ed Bourgeois, Project Director, Alaska Native Heritage Center said, “By dispersing Native art, resources and cultural material throughout the city, a single vibrant hub is created that will serve artists and residents, attract visitors and help us achieve our mission of sharing, perpetuating and preserving the unique Alaska Native cultures, languages, traditions and values through celebration and education.”

I’m looking forward to watching the rollout of this program as the city prepares for its centennial celebrations in 2015. This is a case study involving indigenous culture and a city brand that may have implications for cultural tourism worldwide.

Mayor Tells Tulsa OK, “We Need a Brand”

Tulsa World reports that the mayor of Tulsa OK is Dewey Bartlett has discovered that his city needs to develop a brand strategy. Bartlett has traveled all over the United States and recently through Great Britain, Europe and Japan, and always inquires what the locals think about when they hear "Tulsa." Not surprising he found a wide variety of responses. While some citizens are ridiculing the mayor in the articles comments, Mayor Bartlett is actually tapping into something of great importance to his and all cities – their image and reputation.

The thoughts and associations that come to mind when a city’s name is heard or read can have huge financial, political, and social value. To Mayor Bartlett’s credit, too few city leaders think about the number of jobs, businesses, and other organizations that directly benefit from their city’s image and reputation. The level of esteem that a city’s name evokes has a direct impact on the health of its tourism, economic development, prestige, and respect. Unfortunately, a city’s image and reputation often go largely unrecognized, unappreciated and unmanaged. They rarely get measured and never appear on a balance sheet or the job evaluation of a Mayor, City Manager or elected official. With so much riding on its image and reputation, it makes sense to nurture, manage, and protect these most valuable of city assets in the form of a brand strategy.

While the mayor aims to manage the process by conducting hearings in the New Year with local individuals and organizations, a true brand strategy will involve a more holistic approach. To find where Tulsa fits into the world in the 21st Century it will involve thoroughly researching the perceptions, attitudes and needs of external audiences, analyzing competitors and tracking emerging trends.

My best response to the Mayor’s question about the first thing that comes to mind when I hear, “Tulsa” is the old Gene Pitney song, “Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa”. That not only shows my age, I guess it also shows that the Mayor is right in saying that it’s time for an update!  

What is Brand Equity and Its Relevance to Destinations?

We receive many emails from city leaders, practitioners and students around the world. I’ve decided to share some of the responses with readers of this blog.

This email is from Akshar at a regional tourism office in India, “I have seen the term ‘brand equity’ used in regard to consumer brands, but can this term also relate to destinations and other places?”

Akshar, just as brand equity has relevance to consumer products, it’s also important to destinations and places. Another term for ‘brand equity’ is ‘brand value’. Over time, successful places add to their value by generating positive awareness, respect and loyalty through the ways they present themselves. It’s not hard to find places that are much better known and have more positive reputations than others. These could be considered to be places that have strong brand equity.

I like to think of brand equity as like owning a bank account in the minds of target audiences. We could refer to good news, enticing images, and positive experiences as deposits in the bank. But bad news, poor marketing, and sub-standard experiences are like withdrawals from the account. To be strong and resilient, a brand must have sufficient equity on deposit to counter negative occurrences.  And bad weather, a natural disaster, scandals or bad experiences do happen, even to good places.

The bottom line is that the real power of a place brand is in the thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and memories that exist in the minds of its consumers. While building brand equity takes time, it is fundamental to destination branding.

Four Essentials for a Crisis Communications Plan

Time and again, unexpected events remind me that places and businesses of all sizes must be ready for unforeseen disasters and crises. Unfortunately, most believe that bad things won’t happen to them. While most organizations in the tourism and hospitality industry know they need a crisis communications plan, many believe it will be too complicated and time-consuming. Hence they delay getting started.

The recently released book, “It’s a Crisis! Now What?” by travel marketing, crisis management and media training expert Peggy Bendel is a great place to start. To aid those who want to keep their planning simple, Peggy has identified four basic steps for creating the framework for a crisis communications plan. These are:

1. Don’t panic!
2. Brainstorm “what-ifs?”
3. Who do you need to contact?
4. Update your plan, frequently!

I have observed Peggy in a professional capacity for over 20 years, and have seen her calmly manage crisis communications for a wide variety of clients. This book presents brief situations and solutions that hold valuable and timely lessons. It is designed as a workbook for readers to take notes and develop their own actions. Today, a crisis communications plan is an essential business tool to protect the brand equity that places and businesses have invested in for decades.

What Are Twenty-Five Essentials for Downtown Tourism Success?

In recent years the travel and tourism industry has proven to be one of America’s most productive engines for economic growth and job creation. At a time when leaders at all levels are searching for solutions to sluggish growth, unemployment, increased competition, and continued economic challenges, tourism is proving to be a valuable investment.

But its benefits are bypassing many communities because they are unable to present themselves as a viable destination.

When it comes to generating or consolidating community employment, it’s important for leaders to note that most tourism jobs cannot easily be outsourced. While jobs in other industries may have been shipped overseas, the tourism jobs tied to downtowns, Main Streets, historic and cultural precincts and natural areas can no more be outsourced than the attractions themselves. A study by McKinsey Global Institute casts tourism in a positive light and predicts as many as one in seven new jobs over the next decade will come from travel and tourism.

There is a great opportunity for convention & visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, tourism offices and local government to capitalize on this important trend if they adopt the right community-wide approaches for tourism management in downtowns and small cities. Importantly, success in tourism takes more than an ad hoc approach. Decades of developing Tourism Readiness Reports has shown us that highly successful downtowns and small cities are organized and consistently display the twenty-five characteristics outlined in this article.

 

The Destination Branding & Marketing Conference Series

My friends Nigel Morgan and Annette Pritchard at the Welsh Centre for Tourism Research (WCTR) in Cardiff are collaborating with several other universities in preparation for the fourth global Destination Branding & Marketing Conference, December 5-7 2012.  This conference will gather destination marketing experts from academia, industry and policy to discuss this increasingly important intersection of tourism, economic development, events and heritage management, spatial design, and public diplomacy. Destination branding leaders and innovators from around the world will discuss their experiences regarding opportunities, pitfalls and prospects.

The first three Destination Branding & Marketing Conferences were held in Macau and China. I was honored to have been invited to participate in the second of these. Unfortunately, my
commitments in the USA will not enable me to join my colleagues this year. Reviewing the program, I know that this conference will be an extremely stimulating event. Not to mention those important and long after-dinner debates that I am sure will take place.

It’s not too late to register if you’d like to attend, and I urge you to do so. It will be a great event.