Communities, cities, and even states all compete in the world of everything -- commerce, tax bases, cultural riches, hometown intellects, the creative class, and happy folks using it all. It's the fuel to keep geographic areas going and growing.
It also brews healthy combat zones, the seduction of buyers to destinations. For business or pleasure, the game is called branding. As in, regional branding.
For decades, this practice has existed, but more recently it's become in business vogue -- and a powerful economic advantage.
As people and companies decide where to plop down their roots and cash, just like with any other buying decision, they need to feel the emotional connection to their needs and the earned trust to reduce their fears.
Destination branding is about
Sounds easy enough. Then why is it that so many cities and other geographic destinations have a bad case of brand blues?
To track down the answer, I sent out feelers to the main information-disseminating practitioners, PR firms. The response was encouraging: Within 15 minutes I had almost 40 examples of branded cities, states, regions, and countries. Then I starting researching, checking out the so-called "branded" Web sites, and making calls.
Clearly there are well-branded cities and places. Bravo for those gallant efforts. These destinations have crisp stories, distinct attributes, and consistent messaging. They deliver the brand promise at all touch points. They affix a vivid brain tattoo on the minds of their markets.
On the other side of the map are many lost destinations and leaders who don't quite get it. They think the brand is their jazzy logo or a catchy tagline. They think a costly ad campaign is the big ticket, and most of all, they are oblivious to the destructive power of un-united forces within their destination.
A city or destination brand is the sum of what the market thinks when they hear the brand name. It's how they feel when they arrive at the destination's Web site or experience other communication. And it's what they expect when they select one place over another.
An effective destination brand resonates through all touch spots, including but not limited to the physical environment, entry and exit points, signage, marketing, residents' attitudes, transportation venues (airports and freeways), events, Web presence, visitor services, and leadership.
Unlike product or company branding initiatives, however, branding a destination has an extra layer of challenge. Here are some of the most prevailing brand development dysfunctions and how you can work through them.
Well, maybe "deficiency" is a harsh term. My point is that many cities lack creative potency or organized creative movements -- and allow fear to halt their creative progress. This spills over into their branding.
Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class: And How it's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community, and Everyday Life, sums up the impact of creative thinking and the Creative Class on economies.
"The Creative Class now comprises more than thirty percent of the entire workforce. The choices these people make already had a huge economic impact, and in the future they will determine how the workplace is organized, what companies will prosper or go bankrupt, and even which cities will thrive or wither," states Florida.
Most destinations have multiple sub-brands or voices. A typical city can have the business chamber, the visitors and convention council, economic development councils, and the government all reaching out with similar -- and different -- agendas.
"Hartford, Connecticut, needed to change their image, build a fresh brand, and increase business and visitorship," says Michael Kintner, project director of the Hartford Image Project (HIP). Led by former Governor John Rowland, the HIP brought together 13 community organizations in 2000 to form a nonprofit marketing consortium.
"The result was 'New England's Rising Star,' a cohesive brand story and visual system. The united group contributes funds along with corporate donors and we stay committed to communicating and living one brand message," Kintner adds. "The initiative has been a great success. Annually we assess our efforts, brand recall is strong, and business is up."
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