One of the great bonuses I am receiving while updating my book, Destination Branding for Small Cities, is seeing some of the fascinating brand strategies being developed for cities around the world. One that particularly caught my eye was the pioneering work by Alastair Morrison, CEO at Belle International Consulting in Beijing. Place branding is a relatively new practice for China and Alastair’s brand strategy was developed for the city of Shaoxing.
Shaoxing is an ancient water city with a rich 6,000 year history. Its brand positioning is based on it being a one-of-a-kind place because of its associations with the nation’s ancient and historical times, and its contributions toward various forms of artistic expression, including calligraphy, novels, and Yue opera. It is also famous for its distinctive yellow rice wine. The positioning is captured in the tagline, 'Vintage China'
What particularly attracted my attention was the range of fascinating brand experiences designed especially for the Shanghai expat market. Belle Tourism International Consulting designed and implemented an event titled, 25@100% Vintage Shaoxing Experiences. The experiences inside of this event were designed to immerse participants in the Shaoxing culture and the daily lifestyles of local people. The encounters included the opportunity to be an opera apprentice, cook at a popular restaurant, dream in an imaginary world at the former home of great writer Lu Xun, discover the secrets of tea therapy and glide along the centuries-old canals on a Chinese gondola.
The city has an amazing 6,000 year old cultural tapestry to work with and it will be fascinating to watch how the Shaoxing brand develops in coming years.
I haven't gone to this part of China. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Posted by: freelance writing opportunities | January 31, 2012 at 08:01 AM
Thank you for allowing me this information which have enriched my knowledge and shown me a new concept of tourism of a part of the world,which I would like to visit one day. Continue the good work!
Posted by: Jennifer Jackson | February 01, 2012 at 03:36 AM
I like this vintage style poster.. Look cool..
Posted by: Logo Design | February 21, 2012 at 10:07 PM