Destination

Branding
Workshop TWO PART
PART
TWO

By Manolis Psarros
Destination Development & Marketing Consultant
 in this part:

Creating a Place Brand

 PlaceBrand
CreatingaaPlace
Creating Brand

Why branding matters?

Brand
Brand Brand
Brand Brand
Brand
Knowledge
Knowledge Trust
Trust Loyalty
Loyalty

For Tourists:
Because they would choose a destination brand only when they can trust it.

For Destinations:
Because a trusted brand brings about tourist loyalty.

Source: Brand Knowledge, Trust and Loyalty { A Conceptual Model of Destination Branding/ Cathy Hsu Liping - A. Caiy
 Creating a Place Brand

‘... theworst
‘...the worstthing
thingan
anaspiring
aspiringcommunity,
community,
countryororany
country anyother
othertype
typeofofplace
placecould
could
do notintervene
doisisnot interveneinintheir
theirown image
ownimage
creationand
creation ignorebranding
andignore brandingconcepts’’.
concepts’’.

Joao R. Freire, Place-Branding Expert

 Creating a Place Brand

branding,isis
“Destinationbranding,
“Destination
creatingaasense
aboutcreating
about senseofof
placeand
place tellingaastory’’
andtelling story’’

Tom Buncle, Yellow Railroad International Destination Consultancy

 Creating a Place Brand

The Challenge

“Every timeyou
“Everytime youcommunicate
communicatewithwithyour
your
audiences,you
audiences, youeither buildequity
eitherbuild equityininyour
your
…………….ororyou
brand,…………….
brand, youdestroy
destroyit.”
it.”

Martin Homlish, Chief Marketing Officer SAP

- Wall Street Journal, September 2000
 Creating a Place Brand

The Facts
Place branding will become increasingly
important, and valuable.

DMOs need to find ways of remaining relevant

and useful to potential visitors in the digital era.

A brand is not just about marketing

communications; behavior is critical – by the
NTO and its staff, by stakeholders, and by
residents.
 Creating a Place Brand

The Answer
Authentic
Distinctive
Memorable
Personality - sense of place - a story

Co-Creative
Place-Making (policies, innovations, events,
structures, investments and symbolic
actions)
 Creating a Place Brand

InIn order
order toto manage place-brands
manage place-brands
successfullyand
successfully andtherefore reducethe
thereforereduce thegap
gap
betweenidentity
between identityand
andthethestandardised
standardised
true (or
true (or image),
image), itit isis necessary
necessary toto
understandthe
understand thevariables
variablesthatthatcompose
compose
thebrand.
the brand.

Joao R. Freire, Place-Branding Expert

THE DNA

OF A BRAND
 DNA of a Brand

Place
History
Topography /scenery

Public realm
Architecture

Place
© 2007-2009 LondonEditions.com
Public art
 DNA of a Brand

Products

“Own” products

Products Claimed products

 DNA of a Brand

People
Reputation Famous / infamous

Culture
Attitude
 Creating a Place Brand

A good place to:

live
work
Feel of a
do business Place

invest
buy from
visit
 Creating a Place Brand
The Destination Branding Process
Destination Segmentatio SWOT
Audit n Analysis Analysis

Consumer
Consumer Stakeholder
Perception &
Perception & in
in Perception
depth
depth TO
TO interviews
interviews Consultation

Stakeholder Brand
Competitor Stakeholder
Consultation
Brand Development
Development
Consultation to
to close
close gap
gap (brand
between
between consumer
consumer &
(brand
Analysis stakeholder
&
stakeholder perceptions
perceptions pyramid/wheel)
pyramid/wheel)

Incorporate Brand
Create a Brand
in Marketing
Advisory Group Communications

Refine
Refine Brand
Brand (including
(including any
any
Monitor Brand new
new consumer
consumer research
research &
&
stakeholder
stakeholder consultation on
consultation
Performance an ongoing basis
an ongoing basis
on

ETC/UNWTO Handbook on
Tourism Destination
Branding
 Creating a Place Brand

The Destination Brand Development Model

Brand

What is the essential nature &

Essence

What is the essential

character nature &
of your destination?
character of your destination?
What Makes the Destination
Positioning
Statement
What Makes
Stand Out the
fromDestination
Everywhere
Stand Out
Else? from Everywhere
Else?
How would the Destination like to be
How would
seen andthe Destination
described by itslike to be
main Brand
Personality

seen and described by its main

audience
audience

Emotional How Do they Feel

How Do they Feel
Benefits

about the Place?

about the Place?

What do visitors like to see and Rational

Attributes

What
do?do visitors
What like to see and
influences
do? What influences
business/investments decisions
business/investments decisions
 Creating a Place Brand

Brand at the Core of all Marketing Activities

Brand
Strongly Branded DestiNations generally:
 Make very clear promises that are kept over time
 Stay relevant—functional attributes coupled with “intangibles”
 Provide value for the resources required to invest / visit in that
country
Have loyal stakeholders
 Deliver the benefits that stakeholders desire and hold credible
Have unique brand equity involving strong thoughts and feelings
Are dependable and deliver consistently against expectations
Have an ability to be identified under different conditions
Are less vulnerable to competitive neighbouring markets

Source: Ruth Stanat via the Branding Strategy Insider Blog

Poorly Branded DestiNations generally:
Make vague promises that change over time

Have very low general equity and low emotional commitment

Have “spotty” reputations, create doubt

Have little loyalty, rely on pricing and promotional incentives

  

Source: Ruth Stanat via the Branding Strategy Insider Blog

‘In fact, if destination marketers only
remember one piece of advice, it had
better be this. Do not think about what
to say next; think about what to do’’.
Simon Anholt
 Coming Soon..

Branding Strategies in Action

 Manolis.Psarros@gmail.com
www.abouTourism.wordpress.com