Small City Branding Around the World

Will the Hobbits be the Biggest Boost Yet For New Zealand’s Brand Awareness?

The Sydney Herald reports that Tourism New Zealand has announced the national tourism organization is very close to signing a deal with the makers of The Hobbit movies to promote the country as a tourism destination.

Released between 2001 and 2003, the Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings was credited with boosting tourism to its New Zealand locations, where visitor numbers rose by 40 per cent. Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler said, "I think The Hobbit is going to be that and more. We learned a lot of lessons from Lord of the Rings and we are doing everything we did back then plus some more."

The two movies by Sir Peter Jackson are expected to be a bigger boost for the country’s tourism than the three Lord of the Rings films. The first of the Hobbit movies is due for release in December.

The Lord of the Rings gave New Zealand an incredible boost and is a hard act to follow. It’s hard to believe that the Hobbit movies will top that. But then I haven’t seen the movie!

You can watch the trailer here.

Homer Finally Comes Home to the Right Springfield

Many cities lean on some of their famous sons and daughters to influence their brand identity and tourism marketing. For some it is very straight forward, Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico IL, Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg and William Shakespeare was from Stratford-upon-Avon.  But the home of an arguably even greater celebrity, Homer Simpsons, has been a mystery until now. Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons has finally confessed in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine what most of us in Oregon knew all along …… that Springfield, OR is the famous Springfield in the longest running series in U.S. television history.

There are 58 Springfields in the U.S.A. making it one of the most common city names in the country. Groening said he has long given fake answers when asked about the Simpsons' hometown, leaving open the possibility that his latest one is itself another fake.  

In 2010 we completed a Visitor Readiness Report for Springfield OR and one of the recommendations was to work with Groening on developing The Simpsons related experiences in the city. Dan Egan at the Springfield Chamber of Commerce tells me that since Groening’s announcement the phone calls and emails from around the world have been non-stop. Well Dan, you’d better get working on that new wing of the Springfield Museum to be dedicated to the city’s most famous “residents”.

In reaction to the announcement, Homer Simpson offered several Tweets, including, "Now that Bart knows we live in the Beaver State, all he says is dam dam dam!" and "Crap, we live in Oregon? I mean, Go Ducks!" (For non-Oregonians, the Ducks is a reference to the University of Oregon sports program.)

Disney/Pixar in Cooperative Marketing Link with VisitScotland

A global marketing campaign promoting Scottish tourism will be based around the launch of Disney/Pixar's forthcoming animated film, Brave to be released in August.  The film is set in the Scottish Highlands and features the voices of Scottish personalities Billy Connolly and Craig Ferguson. VisitScotland will invest £7m in the campaign which will be its biggest yet, and the first time that Disney has linked up with a country's tourism organization on such a large scale.

VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay told the BBC,"This is an incredible opportunity to extend the reach of VisitScotland's marketing activity across the world. This film will be shown in more than 70 countries and will give us the opportunity to convert cinema goers into visitors in the biggest campaign VisitScotland has ever launched.”

While many destinations have benefited from being the setting for movies, the majority of places leave it to the movie alone to convey the attractiveness of it as a tourism destination. Another option is to leverage the short-lived opportunity presented by the publicity for the initial cinema and video releases of the movie. One of the best examples of this integration that I have seen in recent years was the global integrated marketing campaign launched by Tourism Australia in conjunction with The Movie Australia.    VisitScotland would be well advised to take a leaf from Tourism Australia’s marketing plan. 

Branding a Fashion District for Durban, South Africa

Durban, South Africa is well known for its Indian culture and fabulous beaches, but it will soon have a dedicated fashion district.  Durban Daily News reports on an interesting economic development branding initiative where a specific city neighborhood will be nominated, and then boutiques, material suppliers, designers and pattern makers are invited to set up shop in the area. The long term objective is to develop a sub-brand for Durban as South Africa’s Fashion Capital, and then acceptance as a world class leader in fashion.

“We want it to house the entire fashion industry supply chain,” said Jasmine Sultan, the program director of the KZN Fashion Council. “After many years of talking, it is now time for action. The next step is for the city’s urban design department to see how to design and brand the fashion district. We want to position Durban as a fashion destination, and the district will eventually be marketed as a tourist route,” Sultan added.

South Africa has had great success in fostering collaborative partnerships to establish tourism and economic development initiatives. It’s going to be interesting to see whether they can successfully pull together all of the necessary stakeholders and achieve their lofty ambitions on the world’s fashion stage. I wish them well.

Image: Flights Australia

Why Are so Many Romantic Comedies Set in Cities?

I just came across a very insightful article in Atlantic Cities by Kaid Benfield, the director of the Sustainable Communities and Smart Growth program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Kaid answers one of the most provocative questions that is probably on your mind this Valentine’s Day: “Why are so many romantic comedies set in cities?”.

He refers readers to the criteria he set last year in a short essay entitled, "What Do the World's Most Romantic Cities Have in Common?" The criteria are:

• Strong sense of place anchored by historic preservation
• Lively, walkable, diverse downtowns
• Compact development patterns
• Extensive and well-used public transportation
• Great public spaces for lively human interaction
• Parks and quiet places mixed in with the urban setting
• Great traditional neighborhoods with a strong sense of community
• Welcoming to people of diverse cultures

He’s so right, and these are really characteristics that small cities should aspire to in their urban core as well. They also contribute toward places that are vibrant and great to hang  out, shop, dine, work, live and study – on the other 364 days beyond Valentine’s Day!

New Jersey Governor Promotes the Real Jersey Shore

 

A few weeks ago I blogged about the negative impact that the reality television show The Jersey Shore was possibly having on the destination of the same name. It seems that a lot of New Jersey residents agree with me. A survey by Quinnipiac University in 2010 revealed that 50% of New Jersey residents felt that the reality show was revolting and negatively impacted the image of their state.  On the other hand, The Daily Mail is reporting that tourism numbers are up and that surveys reveal that the show is not having a negative impact on the real Jersey Shore.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has stepped up to lead the fight to reclaim the state’s image. This is after cutting $2 million from the state’s tourism marketing budget last year. He is visiting many prominent Jersey destinations and a video featuring the Governor has been released to push back and portray the positive aspects of the state and its beaches. While it’s good to see the Governor supporting tourism, I hope he has few more tricks in his bag such as replenishing the tourism marketing budget because ad hoc efforts are no substitute for a comprehensive, integrated marketing program.  

Harry Potter Leaves Legacy for Tourism Throughout Britain

There is little doubt that the seven Harry Potter books and eight films are going to influence the travel plans of Potterphiles for decades and generations to come. Locations featured in the films are sprinkled throughout Britain and Visit Britain has actively promoted key sites over the past ten years. Harry Potter film locations around London are very popular with visitors. Additionally, small towns and villages have tried to capitalize on the phenomenon.

In a small Welsh community, the debate about how to capitalize on the release of the final Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 continues. Armand Watts, a member of Monmouthshire County Council who represents Harry Potter author JK Rowling’s home town of Chepstow, said, “I’m sure more could be done to make the most of our connection with the films." This follows previous attempts to name the county, “Harry Potter Country” which have been blocked for copyright reasons.

Meanwhile, CNN writer Nicol Nicolson, a self-confessed Potterphile, presents his five favorite Scottish Harry Potter locations. No doubt Harry Potter will be influencing the travel plans of 'muggles' for generations to come.

New Zealand 100% Pure Slogan: 100% Correct

OK. I’m an Aussie and we are rarely able to praise or agree with New Zealanders, but kudos where it’s due. Over the past decade or so, New Zealand’s tourism branding efforts have been about the best out there. This was not always the case. I recall when I was engaged in the marketing of Australia in The Americas and Europe, Australia had a well-developed sense of identity but New Zealand consistently struggled to articulate a coherent brand identity.  I have to admit that on occasions these days I feel that the tables have turned.

Since its launch in 1999, New Zealand’s brand strategy, based on its pristine environment and sense of adventure and summarized as 100% Pure New Zealand, has enjoyed amazing success. Yet, it’s hard to believe that it was greeted with skepticism when it was first announced. Even harder to believe is that there is still criticism of the brand within New Zealand.  This further reinforces the point that I frequently make to communities - they will never get 100% agreement from stakeholders for their brand positioning, logo or slogan, so don’t wait for it.

Recently, there has been some criticism from within New Zealand of the country’s ability to deliver on its promise 100% of the time. As the editorial in the New Zealand Herald advocates, “effective marketing slogans, as this one is, can seldom be taken literally. They need to convey an essential truth, not a precise one. New Zealand, in the eye of anyone who has seen the world, is notably clean, green, fresh and wholesome.”

I couldn’t agree more. Additionally, great strategies and creativity often have to be supported by great leadership. Of course filming the Hobbit Movie there will no doubt provide even more impetus and reinforce the essence of this great brand.

So Now It’s Television Tourism

I thought that television tourism was when you have the ultimate staycation and stay at home for a week in front of the box, but apparently not. It seems that like movie tourism and music tourism, there is a phenomenon called television tourism.

eTurbo News reports that in the UK the number of "TV tourists", who visit places associated with television shows, is on the rise. In Manhattan, you only have to stand outside of Tom's Restaurant (Monks café in Seinfeld), 66 Perry Street (Carrie’s home in Sex in the City) or the Ed Sullivan Theater to see the filming of the Late Show with Dave Letterman to recognize the influence that popular television shows can have on the way visitors prioritize and spend their time. Not to mention hundreds of places featured in television shows in Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and dozens of small towns.

I guess the important message is to not lose sight of the fact that people may travel and spend their time as a result of myriad motivations, all at play during the same trip where they may also play golf, attend opera, walk in a park, eat at a famous restaurant or just lay on a beach. As our daily lives and interests become more complex, so do the ways in which we relax and spend our vacation time.

Fargo, ND Finally Embraces Its Fargo the Movie Heritage

One of my recent blogs focused on the positive role that movies can play in tourism marketing and in shaping the identity of places. Unfortunately, movies sometimes don’t portray places in their best light. Brand Channel reports that when you google the word Fargo the first results are for the 1996 cult film Fargo, and not the biggest city in North Dakota. One of the most memorable scenes in this Academy Award winning movie involves a snowy area near Fargo, a wood chipper and a few corpses.

After years of jokes about the wood chipper, the Fargo-Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau has finally taken the plunge and has acquired  its very own wood chipper, along with a Facebook page to promote the city’s newest attraction.

I love it when places don’t take themselves too seriously. I bet the chipper soon becomes one of the most popular photo spots in Fargo.

Kevin Spacey Argues for the Economic Benefits From Funding the Arts

Last week, actor Kevin Spacey made some important comments in regard to the value of government funding of the arts and its benefit to the nation and small communities. He reminded us that American culture is what makes America – America, and how it is a vital element of America’s soft power across the world. It also sustains many galleries, museums and theaters which in turn aid the sustainability of downtowns and their night economies. On a grander scale, imagine New York City without Broadway. In his presentation to Congress, Spacey said that funding the arts is as much an economic issue as it is social.  

Robert Lynch, president of the lobbying group Americans for the Arts, said many new lawmakers in a rush to cut budgets fail to see the jobs and economic boost that arts organizations provide as small businesses. The $166 billion nonprofit arts sector includes 5.7 million jobs and generates nearly $30 billion in tax revenue, he said

Democratic Rep. James Moran of Virginia said the government is buying a single fighter jet that costs as much as the entire annual budget of the National Endowment for the Arts, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. He said the government is buying hundreds of them.

In his presentation to Congress, Spacey related a story about Winston Churchill during World War 2, when fellow politicians wanted to cut arts funding, Churchill’s response was, “then what are we fighting for?”

Movies Can Play a Powerful Role in Destination Marketing and Branding

At one time or another, you may have been motivated to visit a place because of its prominence in a movie or  you may relate more closely to a place that you have previously visited, when you see it in a movie.   It has long been recognized that films can play a positive and influential role in the tourism marketing of places.

In a chapter that I contributed in the recently released book Destination Brands, I explore how Australian tourism has benefited from several prominent movies. For decades, films and television programs have successfully projected the outstanding beauty, adventure and character of Australia to international audiences. However, Tourism Australia’s embrace of Australia the movie in 2008 as an integral part of its marketing took the role of movies to a new level in the marketing of the country.

Tourism Australia, with considerable foresight, initiated a partnership with Twentieth Century Fox for the launch of Australia the movie. They felt it provided a unique and timely opportunity to address a number of challenges and break through the ‘noise’ of competitors, expand exposure with key markets and reach new audiences on an emotional level. While the film release and the associated tourism marketing campaign were global, the specific examples that I include in my chapter are mainly related to the integrated marketing conducted in the United Kingdom.

Whether you liked the movie or not, the integrated marketing campaigns that Tourism Australia launched in 22 countries was worthy of “two thumbs up” or whatever positive gesture your local movie critic gives.

You can download a copy of the chapter here.

J.K. Rowling Casts a Spell on Tourism Marketing

Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, has taken a firm stand in not wanting her name to be used in the tourism marketing of the rural village of Tutshill, Wales, where she lived from the age of nine.  Her books draw inspiration from the area, and the films include scenes shot in many of the places she knew as a child.

Rowling’s agent, Christopher Little Agency says, “Any use of J.K. Rowling’s name is strictly controlled. We are unable to grant permission for it to be used in association with the area."

I have to wonder if William Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Keats or Dickens would want their literary agents to intervene for them if they came back and visited any of Britain’s Literary Trails or took a  Walk Through Dickens' London.

I can’t see how Rowling's agent can stop the village from communicating that she lived there if it is a fact. Maybe she is just concerned about not wanting her face to appear on tea towels and bobble-head souvenirs.