This is the presentation I gave at Gardermoen Airport in Oslo in June 2014 to the mayors of the Oslo City region on the benefits of city and region branding and the important role that regional airports can play in brand development and promotion.
42. 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
44. Case Study – Cork Region Ireland
A Region of 500,000 people
45. 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.
56. 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
57. 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
58. 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
59.
60. 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
63. 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
64. 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
65. 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
66. 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
67. City Region Place Brand Strategy
Do’s and Don’ts
Strategy 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
68. Regional Place Brand Strategy
Do’s and Don’ts
Brand Communications
Get into the international rankings
69. 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
70. City Region Place Brand Strategy
Communication Do’s and Don’ts
Avoid the temptation to tell everybody
everywhere everything about your offer all of
the time
71. City Region Place Brand Strategy
Communication Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t assume your audiences are all alike
72. City Region Place Brand Strategy
Communication Do’s and Don’ts
Stay on a consistent message
73. City Region Place Brand Strategy
Communication Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t create a dissonant Tower of Babel
74. Thank You
Malcolm Allan
Managing Director
Placematters Ltd
P: +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