Creation of Romania’s tourism brand

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phase 1 phase 3phase 2

•Research secondary data about Romania (reports, surveys websites, articles, tourism masterplanetc.);

•Tour of the team members over Romania’s key destinations.

•Define Romania’s key products for which a competitive advantage can be developed;

•Analyse the key competitors for the selected products;

•Elaborate thecompetitiveadvantages.

•Define the target segment for tourism in Romania;

•Select the reference frame and the main objective aimed by the target sement;

•Identify the main elements ofdiferentiation of the tourist destination Romania;

•Define the motives to believe in the elements ofdiferentiation.

•Define the strategic guiding lines to improve the experiments related to thebrand;

•Define the brand communication strategies to increase strength and stature;

•Create the brandmanual to ensure a unitary application by all the stakeholders, at present and in the future

•Develop the visual and the slogan ,based on research, competitive analysis and positioning;

•Brainstorming sessions with the team members, representatives of the private sector (thebrand council), foreign graficdesigners and experts;

•Quantitative testing on the main markets;

•Process of streamlining the variants, following the team meetings and the quantitative tests

phase 4 phase 5

Qualitative research: Aprox.100 in depth interviews and 2 focus groups with key factors from Romania and the source markets(touroperators, travel agencies, journalists, professors and other opinion leaders).Quantitative research: 1.200 interviews in Romania; 10.800 in the Internlyationalsource markets: Austria, Germany, UK/ Ireland, USA, Russia, Hungary, France and Italy.

Analysis of image and potentialStrategy and positioning sentence

Analysis of competitors and

competitive advantages

Conception & visual design and

slogan

Brand strategy and

communication

Permanent integration of the public and private sector representatives from the Romanian tourism industry

Overview of the whole project

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Project phases

1. Analysis

2. Competitiveness

3.Positioning

4. Creativity

5. Strategy

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Qualitative research

Parties involved

• 8 source markets• Romania

91 detaileddetaliu

+2 focus groups

Two research methods were used• Depth interviews – 91 interviews were conducted, with an average duration of 37 minutes,• Focus groups - 2 focus groups were organised,with Romanian stakeholders in tourism.

The opinions of the parties involved in the tourism area were analysedResponses to our research were provided by: touroperators, travel agencies, opinion leaders (from tourism and not only) from Romania and the source markets.

8 source markets and Romania were studiedThe 8 source markets surveyed are: Austria, Germany, Hungary, France, Italy, GreatBritain/Ireland, Russia and the USA.

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Quantitative research

Computer-assisted telephone interviews• A total of 10.881 interviews, which means1.200 for each market

Interviewed tourists:• In Romania, persons who went on holiday trips in the past 3 years.• On the source markets, persons whotravelled abroad to spend their holidays in the past three years.

Tourists

• From 8 source markets

• From Romania

10.881 telephone interviews

Low error margin/ high statistics confidence intervalThe sample size on each market assures a 95% confidence, with a +3% margin of error.

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Major conclusions of the research

1. Knowledge about Romania and about the elements of differentiation is rather low;

2. Romania’s personality fits very well with a good tourism destination;3. Potential within the source markets is good;4. The main potential group for Romania is different from that of the 

average traveller;5. The 6 selected products provide good growth and development 

potential;6. The match between the requirements of the main potential group and 

Romania’s tourism offer is excellent;7. Nature is the main element that should be emphasised on the

Externlyal market;8. The perception of lack of  safety and security is a major challenge for 

the next period;9. The experience of destination does not generate enough satisfaction to

travellers.

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Project phases

1. Analysis

2.Competitiveness

3.Positioning

4.Creativity

5. Strategy

Tools used to define Romania’s main products

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THR expert report

LIST OF TOP 6 PRODUCTS

2. Atractiveness &competitiveness

1.Qualitativeresearch

3. Opiniongathering

Final result: 6 key products for brand construction

Rural tourism:- holidays in small rural pensions/ farms/ agro-tourismRural tourism:- holidays in small rural pensions/ farms/ agro-tourism

Wildlife and natural parks:- interest for flora and fauna, e.g. observation of animals, rare birds etc.Wildlife and natural parks:- interest for flora and fauna, e.g. observation of animals, rare birds etc.

Health and wellness:- relaxation, recovery treatments, healthy food, slow paceHealth and wellness:- relaxation, recovery treatments, healthy food, slow pace

Active and adventure:- spending time doing activities such as cycling, hiking, climbingActive and adventure:- spending time doing activities such as cycling, hiking, climbing

Circuits:- itineraries through the country, visiting cultural, historical, traditional and natural locations

Circuits:- itineraries through the country, visiting cultural, historical, traditional and natural locations

City breaks:-visiting a city in 2-3 days (by using a low-cost flight, for example)City breaks:-visiting a city in 2-3 days (by using a low-cost flight, for example)

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Project phases

1. Analysis

2. Competitiveness

3.Positioning

4.Creativity

5. Strategy

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Brand positioning

1. Target group

2. Reference frame

3. Elements of diferentiation

4. Support data

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Target group

Discerning traveller

The discerning traveller is a well-defined global concept among tourism sector specialists

The key idea shared by all discerning travellers is:

To seek unique experiences, places that are less explored or discovered by the masses. Discerning travellers are opinion leaders and trend makers. By attracting them it is very probable to generate a „following“ current from other segments

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Reference framework

Romania is for those who 

have a strong desire to……explore destinationsbeyond the beaten path,with a wild nature and an authentic culture, and live rewarding experiences

Romania is for those who 

have a strong desire to……explore destinationsbeyond the beaten path,with a wild nature and an authentic culture, and live rewarding experiences

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Main elements of differentiation

What is to be found in Romania:• Well protected nature and national

parks,• Beautiful isolated landscapes,• Areas with rare flora or fauna,• Healthy eco-systems

Where to find them:• The Carpathian Mountains,• the inner hill areas,• the Danube Delta,• etc.

Untouched nature & landscapes

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Main elements of differentiation2. Authenticity

What is to be found in Romania• Ancient traditions still alive,• Simple rural life,• Locally produced ecologic food,• Typical local architecture.

Where can they be found:• In any rural region of a Romania, for example in

Transylvania, Maramureş, Bucovina,• In small-sized villages or towns,• Generally, in small hotels, pensions and

restaurants,• In locally managed enterprises (particularly in

SMEs)

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Main elements of differentiation

What is to be found in Romania:• UNESCO world heritage sites,• Latin and Byzantine historical cultural

heritage,• Castles, monasteries and churches,• German cultural heritage,• Well preserved historical city centres.

Where can they be found:• Old cities, such as Sibiu,• Painted monasteries,• Dacian fortresses,• Wooden churches of Maramureş,• Painted monasteries of Bucovina

Romania’s unique cultural heritage

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Support data of the elements of differentiation

• Culture mix kept alive for centuries through ancient customs and folklore;

• Romania – among the most rural societies in the EU;

• Low level of development in rural areas,

1. Real authenticity

• 13 National Parks şi 13 Natural Reserves (7% of the country’s area under protection);

• Abundant existence of some rare species in Europe, such as: bears, wolves or pelicans;

• Largest river delta in Europe

2. Unique cultural heritage

• UNESCO world heritage sites scattered all over the country;

• The only country in the world with both Latin and Byzantine cultural heritage;

• The painted monasteries and the wooden churches are unique in the world.

3. Untouched nature and landscapes

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Project phases

1. Analysis

2. Competitiveness

3.Positioning

4.Creativity

5. Strategy

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Romania’s new visual and slogan

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• a long inter-active process between the ministry, the brand council, the consultant and the creation agency• repeated market acceptability tests (3 International market tests performed in various phases of the creative process)

The final verbal identity is a combination of two strong concepts that convinced during the first market test: “The Carpathian garden”, which promotes the country’s strongest active tourism centre, according to the market research, and the winning theme of the “explorer”, clearly indicating the type of target client and his/herfavourite activity that can be fully enjoyed at the Romanian destinations.

Conception of the logo

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Logotype design

The “România” handwriting is not a font, but a design especially created for Romania, which expresses a unique personality, based on authenticity and originality. All the 3 elements of diferentiation were taken into account in the creation process:

The “România” handwriting is not a font, but a design especially created for Romania, which expresses a unique personality, based on authenticity and originality. All the 3 elements of diferentiation were taken into account in the creation process:

Unaltered nature• The dominant green colour,• Lines that suggest hill-valley horizons,• Shadowed/graded letters,• Organic forms of the letters,• Green dominates: a strong codification of nature (the most

important criterion for the target group and, at the same time, Romania’s differentiator/main tourism asset.

Authenticity• The letters are hand written,• the letter “â” is specific to the

Romanian language and, implicitly, to Romania,

• the irregular letters,• the curved forms reflect

personality.

Unique culture• The artistic style of the handwriting,• A unique use of the circumflex accent in the name of a country,

coming out in bold relief with a different colour,• Orange – a vivid colour, contrasting with green,• The accentul is a symbol of Romania’s unique culture (it is the only

country in Europe with such an accent in its name), and suggest a different kind of destination; at the same time an extremely positive non-verbal sign: an ascending sign – which symbolisesgrowth, and which is recognised among the young as a “play”-type symbol (similar to iPod).

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The green part The blue part• Can be interpreted as a form of relief...• It reflects the inner part of Romania, especially the

Carpathians, in accord with the slogan• It can be interpreted as a leaf...• The leaf is a strong primordial symbol of nature, of

growth, of freshness, of life• The leaf has a special significance in Romania:

a generally valid element found in the Romanian folklore, at all regional levels. The folk musical poetry, based on the syntagma “foaie verde” (green leaf) has an indisputable maximum notoriety among Romanians and speaks about the very nature of the Romanian soul. The green leaf, beyond its more important meanings relating to nature, which it will transmit to the International markets, if explained, speaks about the kind pure spirit of the Romanian people.

• Blue like the colour of water or of the sky• Stronger connotations with water• Provides excellent support for the key

tourism products, from the wild nature and the nature parks to the health andwellness tourism.

• As they are not absolutely necessary, the possible symbolic descriptions could go in two directions:

A) It is a river (e.g. the Danube) at the foot of a form of relief (e.g. the Carpathians)

B) It is the nervure of a leaf, full of freshness and clean water, which keeps the leaf alive, fresh, growing.

Isotype design

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Abstract of the visual description

THE LOGOTYPECharacters imitating handwriting, having great personality, friendly, with a clear, original line. A visual label, with simple, firm, optimistic forms.

THE COLOURSA range of natural green colours, representing the natural richness of the forests, of the rural area, and of the mountains.

Curve lines, to remind the Carpathians and the hill-valley horizons of the landscape.

In the middle, the circumflex diacritic mark, characteristic to the grammar of the Romanian language, is bow-shaped, pointing upwards, painted in warmcolours, to create contrast, notoriety şi vitality.

THE ISOTYPEA leaf represents the basic principle of nature, which, through the folk sources, speaks to the Romanian soul about the “GREEN LEAF…” ; it can occasionally resemble to a mountain silhouette, while the blue tail represents the importance of water and of the Danube river.

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Description of the slogan components

Explore• A mild imperative

that rather invites• Allows the target

segment to self-recognise

• Perfectly reflects the reference framework in the positioning“Explore” applies to most key products

• Transmits the message that there is something new, unexplored, not invaded by the masses, the main selection criterion of the target segment

Garden• A beautiful metaphor that

symbolises the country; makes you think of a walk through the garden and of visiting visits to places of attraction in it

• The word is also meant to cure like a medicine the perception of lack of security found in the major markets

• In contrast to the wild Carpathian mountains; it indicates they are accessible

• The garden is a symbol of care and growth, a place full of peace and health, a place where one goes with the family and friends, a relaxation place

• Excellent relationship with healthy organic food, so important to the target group

• A garden is cultivated and has something different to offer in all seasons

• One does not share a garden with many others, it is a rather personal place

Carpathian• From the market research and from

the preferences of the parties involved in the Romanian tourism, the Carpathians came as Romania’s strongest element of diferentiation

• The Carpathians provide the best feedback from those who visited Romania

• The last wild, untamed mountain range, in contrast to the over/developed and crowded Alps and Pyrenees

• The association of the name of the mountains with Romania, even if the they are also part of neighbouringcountries, give a geographical identity to the country, helping it to get rid of the label of “unknown”

• In contrast to a civilised garden: an untouched, unspoiled place, still having a wild nature, the dream of those in the target segment

• A name easy to connect to stories and myths

Only one capital letter, which brings into relief the element of differentiation, the Carpathians

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Project phases

1. Analysis

2.Competitiveness

3.Positioning

4.Creativity

5. Strategy

Brand development strategic framework

INCREASE BRAND POWER

1. Improve user experience

2. Increase strength and stature

Start-on strategyStart-on strategy

Inovation strategy at media level

Inovation strategy at media level

Create a brand communication

platform for stakeholders

Create a brand communication

platform for stakeholders

Develop unique Romanian experiences

Develop unique Romanian experiences

Increase visitor satisfaction levelIncrease visitor

satisfaction level

Activate stakeholders at local level

Activate stakeholders at local level

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Brand strategy

Brand communication objective

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Brand communication objectives

Define the key objectives for each communication type (to be reached in 2020)

Inform

1. Raise awareness Internly: Increase the number of Romanians who know most of Romania’s attraction: from 40% to 75%Externly: Double the number of persons who can think of something unique in Romania: from 30% la 60%

2. Improve understanding Externly: Double the number of persons who can name one of Romania�s unique characteristics (particularly with astress on culture and nature): from 27% to 50%

Motivate

3. Improve image Internly: Increase the proportion of Romanians who believe that holidays in Romania are preferable to those abroad from 26% to45%Externly: Increase the proportion of international tourists who have a rather positive image about Romania: from 45% to 65%

4. Explain attributes and benefits Externly: Double the number of persons who mention spontaneous positive associations with Romania , as against the persons who mention negative associations: from 26% la 50%

5. Create preference Internly: Increase the number of tourists who prefer România to other destinations: from 26% la 50%Externly: With reference to the six top products, Romania will be perceived as being more attractive than all its competitors

Act

6. Stimulate sales Internly: Increase by 50% the number of Romanian agencies that are ready and sell destinations in RomaniaExternly: Increase by 25% the number of tour operators and travel agencies that sell destinations in Romania

7. Stimulate repetition Externly: Increase the proportion of visitors who wil come back: from 56% to 75%

8. Stimulate recommendation Internly: Increase the proportion of Romanians who recommend their countryas a holiday destination to other Romanians and foreignersExternly: Increase the proportion of 50% of the international tourists�recommendations (with the exception of the Hungarians) to 70%

CONTRACT INFORMATION

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Contract duration - 6 months

Company : THR – TNS association world leader in the area

Budget: 894,970 euros from European funds

Contract objectives:

elaborate studies to establish Romania’s current image on Romania’s primary/priority markets;

determine Romania’s competitive advantages, compared to other tourism destinations;

identify Romania’s best positioning as tourism destination, itsconceptualisation, creation and design;

identify guiding lines for the brand’s positioning on the tourism markets and for the communication strategy;

create the brand manual including information about the ways to use it and several application examples;