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

Why should Airports be involved?

Airports are a principal point of arrival

Airports offer the first experience of the City Brand

Airports can showcase the City Brand

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 attributes, assets and

attractions

It’s being clear on your target audiences

Understanding key international city competitiveness factorsRanking in global city indexes

Ability to attract talent, business and institutions

Leveraging regional entrepreneurial capability

Leveraging regional higher education and R&D

Leveraging regional heritage and cultural assets

Creating and maintaining a quality living environment

Being clear on your competitive advantages and what to say about

them

Specifying your assets and attributes for target market audiences

Attracting and retaining talent

Telling the story of who is part of your brand community and why

Being clear on your brand’s value propositions

Spelling out delivery of your brand’s value proposition

Being clear and consistent on your brand proposition messaging

Selecting relevant channels to target market audiences with brand messages

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), indigenous

businesses and talented people.

Cork City and Harbour

Cork Wild Atlantic Coast

Cork and Kerry Mountains

Successful FDI Companies

Strong Food and Dairy Sector

Cork Institute of TechnologyMusic School

Cork Region Festivals

Cork Region – Brand Development

• Formation of Stakeholders Group • Analysis of current stakeholders marketing and messaging

• Identification of assets, attributes, attractions and ambitions

• Development of a Brand Proposition • Market testing of proposition • Brand refinement• Brand briefing for Stakeholders• Brand management and implementation

Cork Region – Brand Stakeholders

• City of Cork• Cork County Council• Port of Cork• Cork Airport• Cork Chamber of Commerce• Fáilte Ireland (tourism agency)• University College Cork• 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

• No brand strategy underpinning messaging

Cork Brand Proposition“The Cork Collection”

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 Value Proposition

Cork Region Value Proposition

Cork Region Brand Proposition

Cork Region Brand Proposition

Cork Region Brand Proposition

BRAND ESSENCE – The Right Mix for Your Success

An energetic place of local and global business

A place of innovative and applied learning, research and development capability

A very liveable cosmopolitan place with a good quality of life

A lively place to visit steeped in history and culture

Cork Region Brand Summary

To Recap – A city destination strategy

• Helps realise the vision for the place

• Describes and plans the offer

• Organises the delivery of the offer and desired experience

• Communicates the offer and experience to investors and consumers

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

• Form a Brand Partnership• Agree a vision for the destination• Identify and leverage the 3 A’s• 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 process• Principal target market “welcomer”– Point of information on brand offer and experience

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

• Showcase city region brands– Products and services made locally

• Embody and exemplify brand values– Welcoming and customer care

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.maclolmallan-placebrander.blogspot.co.uk