Small City Branding Around the World

Downtown Las Vegas - The Other Vegas with Soul

An important element of most successful city and destination brands is their ability to resonate with local residents, as well as external audiences. A challenge for Las Vegas is that the it’s iconic brand strategy with its famous, "What happens here. Stays here." tagline probably doesn’t work with the community in ways that generate self-pride and project it as a place to live. While I am sure that residents respect the success of the tourism brand, it really is aimed 100% at external audiences – and does a darned good job! However, the Las Vegas identity that it supports is mainly focused on The Strip and not on the city’s central business district in Downtown Las Vegas.  

Downtown Las Vegas is a few miles south of The Strip and is the city’s original gambling district. This area in recent years has played second fiddle to the larger and more famous Strip. However, the City has been working on revitalization efforts to entice more visitors and residents to downtown. This has involved the redevelopment of Downtown and the surrounding older commercial districts to create jobs and eliminate urban blight.  With an unemployment rate hovering around 14% and one of the worst real estate markets in the country, it is important for the economic vitality of the city to extend way beyond The Strip. Revitalization efforts have joined property and business owners for a $5.5 million streetscape improvement program over a three-block area that includes pedestrian-friendly street redesign, landscaping and retro-looking neon signage.

A new slogan was unveiled Wednesday for Downtown Las Vegas. The winning line, "Every City Has a Soul", captured 35 percent of more than 1,200 votes in an online contest between four finalists. While we are not fans of community competitions for slogans, on this occasion it was important because this time residents would be a priority target audience.  While it will not rise to the stellar heights of the famous tourism slogan, it does have an important role in addressing what has been an economic development void for the city.   

Welcome Signs Mark Many Places That Are Out of Touch

Welcome signs can play an important role in the marketing and branding of cities. They not only provide a sense of arrival, but also communicate a welcome to travelers and can signal that the place is ready for them. They can also serve to convey the distinctive identity of the place and why it may be of interest to prospective visitors and new residents. One of the most famous of course is the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign which was erected on what was then the outskirts of The Strip in 1959.  

Mark Burns, writing in The Atlantic Cities has assembled a slide show of some of his favorite welcome signs around the USA. I think that Mark must have quite a sense of humor. Some are funny, some interesting, but unfortunately many of them reflect small towns that are totally out of touch with the needs and interests of prospective visitors and new residents. At a time when places of all sizes are locked in competition for their economic well-being, I found myself looking at many of the signs and asking “who would care?”  The signs reminded me that cities of all sizes in the next decade will have to work much harder at marketing themselves and developing a competitive identity than they have done in the past. Their audiences are becoming more discerning and demanding and their competitors are increasing and becoming more sophisticated. There are so many other choices.

What are The World’s Leading Creative Class Countries?

The research and books of Richard Florida have caused many cities to reappraise their approach toward attracting creative workers. Creative class jobs are generally acknowledged as those in the fields of science, technology, and engineering; business, management and finance; design and architecture; arts, culture, entertainment, and media; law, healthcare, and education.

While most of his research has been devoted to cities in the USA, Florida in an article for The Atlantic ranks the top Creative Class countries.

At the top of the list is Singapore, followed by the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Germany. Interestingly, the USA was in  27th spot, with Russia coming in higher at 20th, but China was at 75th.

Florida notes, “economists have long regarded human capital- basically the level of skill and education across a population - as a key factor, if not the key factor, driving economic prosperity and rising living standards. Many have noted that America’s declining educational performance and dependence on foreign talent pose substantial threats to its long run of economic competitiveness”. On this basis, I don’t think that we will be seeing China content to sit at 75^th for very long. On the other hand, the USA cannot afford to slip further down the rankings because this impacts every city in America trying to enhance its capacity as a place for innovation and creativity.

How the Past Five Years Really Have Changed Travel Marketing Forever

No doubt many of you can tell stories about when you started your career and there were no fax machines, personal computers or websites to aid your marketing. The travel and tourism industries have expanded massively over the past thirty years aided by technological innovations that have introduced new and more efficient communication channels at an amazing rate.

When we try to recall the changes that have taken place in travel and tourism marketing we might like to consider a span of ten or twenty years. An excellent article on the UK website, Travolution points out the dizzying changes that have occurred during just the past five years. It’s a very interesting recap of where we are today and provides a hint of where we may be heading.

There was a time when we spoke of the new digital frontier. Now there seems to be new frontiers within the frontiers! Exciting times!

Race-Based Names Dot the Landscape

The name of a place is fundamental to developing its brand identity and image. There are many places that are playing with a severe handicap in tourism and economic development marketing because of their name.

The New York Times states that a report by the United States Board on Geographic Names indicates that 757 official names of more than 2.5 million streams, mountains, civic buildings, and cities use the word Negro or a variation of it. Lou Yost, executive secretary of the Board said “Local residents, including some African-Americans, sometimes see no reason to change a name that has always been there. Others argue that changing race-based names is political correctness run amok."

To change a geographic name, the petitioner must first convince a state board and then the federal government that a new name is better, based on factors that include historical significance and local acceptance. I think that we're a long wau from hearing the last of these controversies.

Tourism Without Business is Merely Traffic

The provocative title of the recent American Indian Alaskan Native Tourism Association’s (AINTA) 13th annual conference caught my attention. Indian Country Media Network reports that speakers at the conference issued a call to action for Indian Nations to become an economic force in tourism. The title of the conference, “Tourism Without Business is Merely Traffic” could be a call to action for many places because many have a focus on mearly numbers of visitors and room nights, and not always on the added value that tourism can deliver.

Ed Hall, AIANTA founder and tourism specialist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, told conference delegates, “When you’re just starting out, you want to be competitive. But if you’re a true leader, it’s not good enough to just be competitive - you need to be out front, blaze the trail, raise the bar high and set the pace. We’re tired of being spoken to rather than spoken with, and sovereignty is the key.” He added, “Authenticity draws travelers to Indian Country and gives us an invitation to tell our story through tourism. That story defines you, protects your rights, reinforces your sovereignty, and brings you tourists and jobs.”

Central to the message was the need for Nations to be proactive and innovative in tourism and not simply leave their tourism destiny in the hands of others. For a very long time, I have believed that one of the most under-developed aspects of tourism in the USA is the opportunity to encounter authentic cultural experiences with Native Americans. Hopefully this conference marks an important step in activating their true potential as a compelling element of the American experience for international (and hopefully domestic) tourists.

Has the Image of Detroit Turned the Corner?

There is a very interesting dynamic taking place in regard to the image of Detroit MI.  The city was once synonymous with the decline of America’s auto industry, urban decay and an unenviable crime record, but now there are welcome signs of a turnaround. This dynamic is captured in an article in USA Today which identifies how the city is finally rebounding on several fronts. Auto sales are on the rise, home sales in the Motor City are improving and major corporations are choosing to move downtown.

An Emmy-winning television ad for Chrysler is proudly promoting the city's working-class roots, knowhow and advanced technology with the tagline, “Imported from Detroit”.

Adding to the positive vibes, The Detroit Free Press points out that one of the Chrysler commercials to the skepticism of some locals says that Detroit was once known as “The Paris of the Midwest” because of its French heritage, tree-lined boulevards and elegant architecture. This period following Henry Ford’s $5-a-day wages drew hundreds of thousands from all over the world to what was fast becoming America’s Motor City. Right now, many Americans are cheering for Detroit’s turnaround because a lot of America’s economic wellbeing is tied up with the rejuvenation of its auto industry – not to mention a restatement of the country’s capacity for world class innovation.

Paris of the Midwest may not have too many supporters, but one thing is for sure, the Detroit Tigers are on a roll in the World Series baseball playoffs and the Detroit Lions football team has started the year with a 4-0 winning record. Let’s hope all of this positive news for Detroit continues because one way or another we are all linked to their success.

Evansville IN Debates the Benefits of a Clean-up

We rarely work in a community that does not proclaim that it has the greatest lifestyle and quality of life – possibly on the planet. These people have a pride in their community and frequently consider it the only place to live no matter where it is located, whether in the mountains, forests, deserts, farmlands or on the coast.

Many times the reality of these places does not quite match the image that many locals would like to see projected to outside audiences. But there is no denying the great pride that they have in their community.

This week I noticed an interesting debate taking place in Evansville, IN where the residents seem to be split over the benefits that being a clean, tidy and welcoming community can bring for business relocation and tourism.  Despite the best efforts of many local organizations, there remains a level of apathy among some residents, businesses and even among some government representatives toward litter, smoking bans and beautification.

Anne Ennis, president and executive director of Keep Evansville Beautiful, said her office gave residents a chance to pitch in by placing cigarette urns along Main Street. Ennis said that some residents responded by simply flicking their butts on the side of the urns. "It almost like they were doing it to spite what we were trying to do," she said.

Ennis said despite some of the sights that may shock newcomers, they should know there is a movement of people in the community trying to improve life here. But they still are saddled by other "pockets of persons, businesses or government who don't see that as a priority."

The underlying challenge for Evansville is that no matter how effective their branding and marketing efforts are, they will not deliver optimal results until its quality of life and beautification elements are at least on a par with competitor communities. It seems as though success for Anne and her team should be the number one priority if the city is serious about competing with other places for new businesses, visitors and entrepreneurs - and their families.

Oktoberfests Thrive Across America

There was a time when Oktoberfest, a seventeen day celebration of beer, bratwurst, music and dancing was pretty much confined to Munich, Germany.  This very popular event is celebrated every Fall from approximately mid-September until early October. It's easy to believe that Oktoberfest is probably the most popular custom after the Christmas tree that Germany has exported to the world.  

This week I see that Oktoberfest is being replicated in communities around the USA (and the world) but an article in the Washington Post caught my attention because it highlighted the ten best Oktoberfests in just the Washington DC area.   A wider search revealed that there are probably hundreds of Octoberfest held across the USA.  I guess it’s easy to understand when you consider that German-Americans are one of the country's largest self-reported ancestral groups – and they love a beer.

A newcomer to the field is Cedar Falls, Iowa which usually markets itself as a traditional Danish town, but this year the town is celebrating its first Oktoberfest.   "We have everything from a 15-piece German band to inflatable jumpers and face painting in our family fun zone," said Mary Williams, one of the event organizers.

Given all of the copycats around the world Munich still attracts six million people.  But I guess they've got a winning formula – the last of the good weather, food, music, dancing and plenty of beer!