The Benefits of City and Regional Destination BrandingAttracting People, Investment & Airlines

Cities and their regions are the engines of economic growth

By 2050 75%of the world’s population will live in cities

Why create brand strategies for cities and regions?

Why create brand strategies for cities and regions?

THEY NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE

THEMSELVES

Why create brand strategies for cities and regions?

THEY NEED TO DEVELOP A

RECOGNISEABLE IDENTITY

Why create brand strategies for cities and regions?

THEY ARE IN COMPETITION

Cities compete for…………….

Cities compete for investment……….

Cities compete for tourists and visitors

Cities compete to retain people and business

What is involved in City and Region Brand Strategy?

It’s not about logos and tag lines

It’s being strategic about being competitive

It’s about identifying your distinctive offers and experiences

It’s about identifying and leveraging your distinctive & authentic attributes,

assets and attractions

It’s being clear on your target audiences

You need to improve your ranking in Global City Indexes

Improve your ability to attract talent, business and institutions

Leverage your regional entrepreneurial capability

Leverage regional higher education and R&D

Leverage regional heritage and cultural assets

Create and maintain a quality living environment

Be clear on your competitive advantages and what to say about

them

Specify your assets and attributes for target market audiences

Attract and retain talent

Tell the story of who is part of your region’s brand community and why

Be crystal clear on your brand’s value propositions

Spell out how you will deliver on your brand’s value proposition

Be clear and consistent on your brand proposition messaging

Select relevant channels to target market audiences with brand messages

Why should Airports be involved?

Airports are a principal point of arrival

Airports offer the first experience of the City Region Brand

Airports can offer information and ideas on the city/region offer

Airports can showcase attractions of the City Brand

Airports can showcase and hold events

Airports can host and promote local products

Airports can host and promote local brands

Airports can host and promote local brands

Airports can host new business arrivals in temporary accommodation

Airports can host new business in permanent locations

To Summarise

Airport Contribution to City/region Brand Offer

• Jobs in airport operations• Location for inward investment and business expansion

• Jobs in locating business • Wage contribution to domestic economy• Promotion of brand offer and messaging• Promotion of local products and services• Provider of brand experiences• Carrier of brand to other places and markets

Case Study – Cork Region Ireland

Case Study – Cork Region Ireland

A Region of 500,000 people

Cork Region Brand Strategy

Primarily an economic development tool to

elevate the Cork Region domestically and

crucially internationally; especially to attract and

retain foreign direct investment (FDI), support

indigenous businesses and talented people.

Cork Region Brand Strategy

Cork Assets, Attributes and Attractions

City and Harbour

Cork Assets, Attributes and Attractions

Cork Wild Atlantic Coast

Cork Assets, Attributes and Attractions

Cork and Kerry Mountains

Cork Assets, Attributes and Attractions

Cork People and their Welcome

Cork Assets, Attributes and Attractions

Funding & Support for Business

Cork Assets, Attributes and Attractions

Location for successful FDI Companies

Cork Assets, Attributes and Attractions

Strong Food and Dairy Sector

Cork Assets, Attributes and Attractions

Cork Institute of Technology

Cork Assets, Attributes and Attractions

Cork Region Festivals

Cork Region – Brand Development• Formation of Stakeholders Group • Analysis of current stakeholders marketing and messaging• Social media assessment of current offer and experience• Identification of existing value propositions

– assets, attributes, attractions • Selection of target market audiences• Development of a Brand Proposition • Market testing of proposition

– Brand Descriptor (online) and questionnaire • Brand refinement• Brand briefing for stakeholders & community

– Brand Book (online)• Brand management and implementation

– New organisation

Cork Region – Brand Stakeholders

• City of Cork

• Cork County Council

• Port of Cork

• Cork Airport

• Cork Chamber of Commerce

• Fáilte Ireland (national tourism agency)

• University College Cork & Cork Institute of Technology

• South West Region

Cork Region – Marketing Audit

Initial Findings

• Region has a good story to tell• Story lacks focus and consistency• Many assets, attributes and attractions• No coordinated messaging & marketing• Lack of clarity on target markets• No agreement on core offer/proposition• No coordinated development of the offer• No brand strategy underpinning messaging

Cork Brand Essence“The right mix for your success”

A brand proposition of four value offers to target market audiences

Sector Theme The Driving Ideas

Economic An energetic place of global and local business networks

Education Innovative and applied learning, research and

development capability

Quality of Life A very liveable cosmopolitan place with a great quality of

life

Visitor Attractions A lively place to visit steeped in shared international and

Irish history and culture

Cork Region Brand Summary

Brand Strategy – Testing on target markets

Cork Brand Descriptor

www.corkregionbranddescriptor.com

To Recap – A city region destination strategy:

• Helps realise the vision for the place

• Identifies, describes and plans the offer

• Organises the delivery of the offer and desired experience

• Communicates the offer and experience to residents, consumers, businesses, investors and visitors

To Recap – To create a city brand strategy you need to…….

• Form a Brand Partnership of key stakeholders & the community

• Agree a vision for the region• Identify and leverage the 3 A’s/UVP’s– assets, attributes and attractions

• Define the experience being offered • Determine the market for the offer • Deliver the offer to the target markets• Market and communicate the offer• Manage and refresh the offer

City Region Brand Building

The Role of the Regional Airport

• Key Stakeholder in the brand process• Principal target market “welcomer”– Point of information on brand offer and experience

• Informs airlines about the brand process– Share forecasts of growth, investment, exports and visits

• Showcases local city region brands– Products and services made locally

• Embodies and exemplifies brand values– Welcoming and customer care– Introducer and brand ambassador

City Region Place Brand Strategy

Do’s and Don’ts

Brand Development• Form a Brand Partnership of key stakeholders• Be clear on your offer and experience• Define your brand proposition and proof points

• Define your target market audience• Create a shared vision for the future• Engage your community in the brand• Define the pathway to your desired future• Start on the journey• Regularly communicate progress

City Region Place Brand Strategy

Do’s and Don’tsStrategy Implementation

• Clarify the role of the Brand Partnership– It needs to work strategically as a team

• Create a Brand Implementation Team• Identify and collect resources for implementation• Create an “Experience Masterplan”

– Clarify proposals for improvement or extension– Clarify sources of resources for proposals– Schedule improvements and extensions– Agree a communications strategy– Monitor and evaluate impacts– Refresh the strategy

Commit for the long haul

Regional Place Brand Strategy

Do’s and Don’ts

Brand Communications

Get into the international rankings

Regional Place Brand Strategy

Do’s and Don’ts

Brand Communications• Prioritise target market audiences• Focus on their communication channels• Have focussed conversations on their needs, wants and aspirations

• Present solutions to their challenges• Use stakeholder networks to reach out• Support your Brand Ambassadors• Creatively engage the local media

City Region Place Brand Strategy

CommunicationDo’s and Don’ts

Avoid the temptation to tell everybody everywhere everything about your offer all of

the time

City Region Place Brand Strategy

Communication Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t assume your audiences are all alike

City Region Place Brand Strategy

Communication Do’s and Don’ts

Stay on a consistent message

City Region Place Brand Strategy

Communication Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t create a dissonant Tower of Babel

Thank You

Malcolm AllanManaging Director

Placematters LtdP: +44 1342 829 012

M: +44 7803 356 310

E: malcolm.allan@placematters.co

W: www.placematters.co

Twitter: @MalkyAllan

Blog:

www.malcolmallan-placebrander.blogspot.co.uk

Member UK Academy of Urbanism

Member US Placemaking Leadership Council