Master Class in Branding Places at Boğaziçi University

Master class
Branding Places
Why

How
?

Why
not

What
for

Eduardo Oliveira
9th of April
Boğaziçi University
Tourism Administration Dept.
Istanbul, Turkey

Envisioning better futures

About me
I born in Braga, Portugal in 1982.
 I studied Geography and Planning at the University
of Minho (2000-2004).
 I completed a post-degree in Tourism and Regional
Development at the Portuguese Catholic University
(2006),
 I completed a M.Sc. in Marketing and Strategic
Management from the School of Economics and
Management, University of Minho and University Sains
Malaysia (2008-2010).
Currently I am a Ph.D. researcher at the Department of
Spatial Planning & Environment, University of Groningen
(2012-2015).
My research is focused in place branding and destination
branding in strategic spatial planning

Contents
15’

15’
60’

15’

15’

From theory…
What is place
branding?

Branding places
Setting the scene
Open up new perspectives

60’

…to practice

What is destination
branding?
Tourism destination
Challenges

Strategy
&
development
Instruments
Does it work?
Case studies
In
Place branding

In
Destination branding

Branding places
Individuals








Investors
Students
Tourists
Citizens
You
Me

We face
challenges and
changes
Time - Uncertainty

Branding places
Taksim Square
Places








Countries
Cities
Regions
Towns
Neighbourhoods
Destinations

1932

They are facing
challenges and
multiple issues

2012

Branding places
People

Places
Change(s)

1950

Braga

2012

Branding places
Places often emphasise the
historical, social, human,
and
cultural
assets,
features…

Branding places
Identity

Image
Enhance

Perceptions
Strengthen

Branding places

The growing complexity

The persistently uneven development
The rise of new technologies
The financial and economic crisis
The changes in production processes
The globalisation of culture and the economy
The ageing of the population
The environmental issues
Albrechts, 2010
de Roo & Rauws, 2012

Branding places
Examples about what I am talking about?

Branding places
Unemployment rates, European Union (Eurostat, Nov, 2012)

European Union - 10.7%

Portugal – 16.3%

Branding places
Gross Domestic Product

2012: -3.5%
2013: -1.9%
2014: 1.3%
Portugal Bank, http://www.bportugal.pt

Branding places
Gross Domestic Product
Economic growth feeble or negative – after 2008

Source: Portugal Bank, http://www.bportugal.pt

Branding places
Despite the importance of economic indicators – real problems

Low purchasing power

Minimum Wage
in some EU
countries

Relocation / Bankrupt
Companies that close
the doors (search)

4.480 Google entrances

Branding places
Places such as countries, regions, cities aspire to a
promising future.
Places are facing challenges (e.g. economic; social)

Responses - Actions

Grasp the momentum

Places assets and strengths.
What tools/instruments?

Which direction?

Branding places
Achieve wide
cooperation

Why

How

Why
not

What
for

Competitive &
attractive image

Development
&
competitiveness

Environment
&
Sustainability

Community
engagement &
social justice

Economic
regeneration

Improve local values
& inclusive
development

Planning tool &
place
management

Before place branding
Ashworth & Kavaratzis, (2010)

The application of marketing techniques and the
adoption of a marketing philosophy in order to meet
operational and strategic goals of places have been well
established both in practice and in theory.
Places

Organizations

Places have long felt a need to differentiate
themselves from each other in order to assert their
individuality and distinctive characteristics in pursuit
of various economic, political or socio- psychological
objectives.

Trueman et al., (2004 ); Kavaratzis, (2004 ); Rainisto, (2003)

There are significant similarities between corporate
brands and place brands, which bring the two concepts
close and provide a starting point for a better
understanding of place branding.

Knox & Bickerton, (2003)

“A corporate brand is the visual, verbal and behavioural
expression of an organisation’s unique business model”.
“Corporate branding draws on the traditions of product
branding, in that it shares the same objective of creating
differentiation and preference”.
Simões & Dibb, (2001)

“The brand is expressed through the company’s mission,
core values, beliefs, communication, culture and overall
design.”

Aaker, (1996)

“In contemporary marketing, branding is central, as it
integrates all the strategic elements into one success
formula”.
Corporate branding

Place Branding

Trueman et al., (2001)

“Recognise that there is an urgent need for a robust
analysis of the city as a brand and go on to assess that
the literature on corporate branding may be relevant.”.

Aaker, (1996)

“A brand is a multidimensional assortment of functional,
emotional, relational and strategic elements that
collectively generate a unique set of associations in the public
mind”.

Hankinson & Cowking, (1996)

“Relationship between the brand and the consumer,
such that there is a close fit between the consumer’s own
physical and psychological needs and the brand’s functional
attributes and symbolic values”.

Allen, (2007)

Baker, (2012)

Branding & Marketing

This is Geographical nomenclature - product marketing through places

Create advantage, or

Make it difficult…

Create advantage, or

We confuse the brand and
the product.
Where is the problem?

Make it difficult…

Do all place’s need place branding?

Google Images

Do all place’s need place branding?

What is place branding
Hankinson, (2010)

After years of separate development, there has recently
been a convergence between the academic domains of
urban policy, tourism and mainstream branding
resulting in the emergence of a new domain of place
branding.
Tourism

In the tourism domain, places are represented as
places to visit – or tourism destinations.

Hankinson, (2010)

Urban & Planning

In the urban policy domain, the focus is on the economic
development of towns and cities based not only on
tourism, but also on other areas such as retailing, financial
and cultural services.
Marketing

From a marketing perspective, place branding can be
applied to any one or all types of locations and activities.

Hankinson, (2010)

Mix of disciplines

Baker, (2012)

Place Brand

Place Branding

Hankinson & Cowking, (1993)

In general terms, branding is a process which attempts
to influence how consumers interpret and develop their
own sense of what a brand means.
A brand is a product or service made distinctive by its
positioning relative to the competition and by its
personality, which comprises a unique combination of
functional attributes and symbolic values’

Place Branding

Place Brand

Ashworth & Kavaratzis, (2009)

This process is the same as that followed in the
formation of images of other entities like products or
corporations, which have long been managed as
brands.
(…) branding has only recently been used to describe
the process (…)
(…) the process of place branding (…)
(…) place branding is a strategic process
contributing to urban/regional development and
urban/regional competitiveness (…)

Branding places
Investment
Tourism

Living
Studying

Smyth, (2005)

“One of the purposes of place branding process is to
create strategies to promote the place for several
activities and, in some cases, to “sell” parts of the place
(country, region, city) for living, consuming and
productive activities.”
Exchange relationships between other geographical unities

Enhance their strengths
Earn competitive advantage
Achieve progress
Multisectorial development


: Google imagens

Ashworth, (2010)

“Place branding can be used as at least part of policies
aimed at:
 To fostering economic restructuring;
 Community participation;
 Political engagement;
 To secure visibility, create value;
To reinforce local identity;
 To reinforce the well-being of citizens;
To achieve competitive advantage (e.g.):
To increase inward investment;
To increase tourism revenues”;
Efficient tool in pursuit of objectives that relate to the place
management and spatial planning

Hankison, (2010)

“Place branding as a long-term strategic activity”
“The process of place branding is usually carried out
by a partnership between the public and private sector
stakeholders who are involved in the place product
delivery.”
“In most cases, the objective of place branding is to
reposition a place in the mind of the place
consumer and to establish a point of differentiation with
respect to other places attempting to dominate the same
market space”.

Kalandides, Kavaratzis & Ashworth, 2010
If branding is a part of
marketing, then branding is:

If branding is wider than
marketing, then branding is:

 Communication tool;
 A task for advertisers and
graphic designers;
 Disconnected
from
the
place's identities;
 Apolitical;
 Ineffective
in
creating
sense/pride of place;
 Ineffective in attracting
investment;
 Effective
in
attracting
visitors.

 A strategic development tool;
 A task for local authorities
and stakeholders; planners;
 Connected to the place's
identities;
 Effective
in
creating
sense/pride of place;
 Effective
in
attracting
investment;
 Effective in attracting visitors;
 Effective in attracting talent
people / researcher ’s;

 “It is accepted that place marketing can be
treated as an instrument of place management
undertaken in pursuit of objectives that relate to the
management of the place.”
Anholt, (2003)

 “A place brand strategy is a plan for defining
the most realistic, most competitive and
most compelling strategic vision for the place.”

Anholt, (1996)

Since 1996, when Simon Anholt coined the term 'nation
branding' and gave birth to this important field of place
branding – he has been working with governments to help
them plan the policies, strategies, investments and
innovations which lead their countries toward an
improved profile and reputation.
A Consistent Framework for
City-To-City Comparisons

Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index

Anholt, (2003)

The Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index

“This framework has been developed as a means of
evaluating the effectiveness of branding but it is a
particularly helpful tool for guiding the branding effort”

Anholt, (2003)

The Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index
 Analytical ranking of the world's city brands.
 Working with an innovative set of tools that helps to
assess, develop and implement brand strategies .
 Provide the global and local insights needed to move a
city’s reputation forward and increase the success of

Business - Trade - Tourism
EFFORTS

Anholt, (2003)

The Presence refers to the city’s international status and
standing – how familiar people are with the city.

The Place component refers to the
physical aspects of the city – how
beautiful and pleasant or otherwise
the city is.
The Potential considers the opportunities the city has to off
er in terms of economic or educational activities.

Anholt, (2003)

The Pulse examines the existence of a vibrant urban
lifestyle - how exciting people think the city is.
The People component examines
the local population in terms of
openness and warmth and also
looks at safety issues in the city.

The Prerequisites deal with the basic qualities of the
city; the standards and price of accommodation and
public amenities.

Anholt, (2000)

Some controversial thoughts
Baker, (2012)

Strategic toolkit

Some controversial thoughts
Baker, (2012)

Out of marketing dep.

Place branding as planning & management tool

Place
Branding
Vision

Country

Region

City

Tourism destination

Goals

Measures

Preeminent tool for urban and
regional development, planning and
place management

As strategy to support economic & social changes

Place branding & regional dynamics

Place
Branding

Regional dynamic

Select
strategies

Strategic
networks

Determine
goals

While many destinations depend almost
exclusively on natural resources others are
forced to develop manmade facilities.
facilities
Develop places and enhance the
attractiveness and competitiveness of
destinations.

Implement new dynamic

Strategy & Development

Challenges

Places

Specific
problems

Place
Branding

Strategy

Strategic
Spatial
Planning

Place
Branding
Strategy

Albrechts, (2010; 2012)

Kunzmann, (2000)

Healey, (1997, 2006)

4 different types of response
Reactive
 Rear-view mirror
Inactive
Going with the flow
Pre-active
Preparing for the future
Pro-active
Designing the future – making it happen
Creative thinking about possible futures

Albrechts, (2010; 2012)

PLACE BRANDING
could be used as
STRATEGIC SPATIAL PLANNING
instrument to support a
STRATEGIC CHANGE
in direction of places, such as
tourism destinations

Image – Position - to engage –
(…) about that ‘place’ dynamics (…)

… As response to challenges at
economic and social level.
…what a place is and what it
might become.

Determining the strengths
and weaknesses

e
t t he r
e
w to g
Ho

?

A run for specified goals

Where do we want to go?
Designing the future.
Prepare a response.
Enabling change.

Friedmann, 1982; Throgmorton, 1996; Kotter, 1996; Innes & Booher, 1999;
Kunzmann, 2000; Hillier, 2002; Healey, 2007; Albrechts, 2010; 2012.

Strategic thinking towards a place branding strategy
Place Branding

Highlight assets

Strategic Planning

Links?

Communication
message

The national program for spatial planning

Envisioning -Visions

Common objectives

Common engagement

Create identity

Inclusiveness
Radical change
spatial context

Dynamic
creative process

How can a place branding strategy contribute to the development

General

Development

Well-being of
citizens

Enhance the
regional
competiviveness

More control of
environment
Nature & landscape

Enhance
regional
identity

Place Branding Strategy – does it work?
Zineldin, 2002; Rainisto, 2003; Ashworth & Kavaratzis, 2010; Hankinson, 2010

Integrated in a
wide strategy

Functional,
physical
attributes

Clear
The national program for spatial planning focus on
limited
objectives

Select the right
strategies
Engage
stakeholders

Analyse of
existing images

Instruments of Place branding
Oliveira, (2012)
The concept of place branding is thought to provide valuable tools for
places to differentiate themselves, by managing their opportunities and
transforming them into competitive advantages, thus gaining brand
value and strengthening their global market position.
Ashworth, (2009)
 Signature buildings and design
 Flagship building
 Signature Design
 Signature Districts
 Personality association
 Event Hallmarking

Reputation

Local planning
instruments are widely
used by places in order to
pursuit local or regional
objectives

Stimulate development

Attracting
visitors & capital


Personality association

Flagship building

Signature districts

Gaudi
Barcelona


Event hallmarking


 “Places organise and sponsor temporary events in
order to obtain a wider recognition that they exist but
also to establish specific brand associations”.
Ashworth, (2009)

 “Cultural events are favoured largely because of there
visibility and wide acceptability of cultural products as
merit goods adding value and desirable brand
attributes to a place”.
“Hallmark events alone are unlikely to have much impact upon
a place brand”
“Effective as instruments in a strategic policy”

Can we do place branding with the events?
Conceptualization:
If the hallmark events can be the catalysts triggering
existing processes, making trends and create conditions that
already at least potentially existed.
Place branding becomes a valid, necessary and highly
effective form of place management.

Events

 Are most significant at the level of
strategic reorientation.
 Alone are unlikely to have much
impact upon a place brand.
 Relatively small and have little
lasting promotional impact.

Celebrating success, or on the way to fail?
The arguments
To attract tourists and visitors.

Attract no tourists, but visitors from
the same place.

Events and tourism can be mutually
beneficial.

Interaction between event planning
and destination planning is needed.

To capture attention and promote
attractions and infrastructures.

Most events are small, with a limited
duration in time and create minor
impacts.

Events in big cities are more
prepared to achieve success.

More modestly sized places have
achieved notable successes.

Events hallmarking

Successful
stories?!

Many
Failures?!

Celebrating success, or on the way to fail?
Events hallmarking

6 ways for success

 The need for local community support;
 The need for a good strategic and cultural fit with the
place – have to reflet the local spirit;
 The need for an event to be differentiated from others;
 The longevity or tradition of the event at the
destination;
 Cooperative planning among key players;
 Media support for the event.

But Eduardo, we want to
know something about
Tourism

What is destination branding
Morgan, Pritchard & Piggott, (2003)

“Tourism has often been seen a key element in the
development of places and destinations, which are
adopting branding strategies - meant to gain a
competitive position and assert their identity - in their
communication with potential tourists”
Kavaratzis & Ashworth, (2010)

“Destination branding is the most researched area
in place branding”.


Tourism destinations
Hall, (2000); Davidson & Maitland, (1997)

“Traditionally, destinations are geographical areas,
such as a country, a region, a city, or an island”.
Buhalis, (2000)

“A destination can be recognised as a perceptual
concept, which can be interpreted subjectively by
consumers, depending on their travel itinerary, cultural
background, purpose of visit, level of studies and past
experience”.

Kavaratzis, (2010)

“Efficient destination branding depends upon a strong,
visionary leadership, a brand oriented organisational
culture, departmental coordination and process alignment,
consistent communications across a wide range of
stakeholders and strong, compatible partnerships”.
Pritchard & Morgan, (1996)

“ Destination branding is thus a highly complex
activity that is further complicated by the reality that a
destination or territory is not ‘created’ by marketers - is an
existing, living reality that evolves and is based on
communities, histories, cultures and identities”.


The players

Stakeholder partnerships
Relationships between
compatible organisations in
terms of their goal, their power.
Destination Marketing
Organisation (DMO).

What is destination branding – building process
Morgan & Pritchard (2002)

a) the market investigation
(competitors and consumers
trends);
b) the development of the brand
identity;
c) the communication of the vision;
d) the brand implementation; and
e) the feedback process.

Tasci, (2011)

Product
Price
Place
Promotion
Communication

Alvarez, (2012)

“Today’s environment of intense competition is affecting
destinations as they are striving to develop themselves as
attractive places for tourism and differentiate themselves
from competing alternatives”.

In this ‘endeavour’ - destinations are facing
many challenges / key issues (next slide)
“In
parallel
to
the
current
trend
towards
decentralization of governance in destinations, there
is also a tendency towards more collaborative forms of
destination management that include the local
community in the decision making”.

Horner & Swarbrooke, (2004)

But Eduardo, we want to
know something about
challenges – in practical
terms


Digital challenge

Digital?

Coherence / authenticity / strategy


Digital challenge


Retirement tourism

City tourism

Medical tourism

Education tourism


The colours & logo challenge


The slogan challenge
Country slogans

Significance
No specific message

Geographical significance

Geographical significance


Country slogans

Significance
No specific message

Fun

Geographic significance

Everything for all


Country slogans

Significance
Everything for all

Fun

No specific message


City-Region

http://www.edinburgh-inspiringcapital.com/

The Edinburgh Inspiring Capital Brand
draws its strength from the people and
organisations who embrace it.

Inspiring
Capital

This brand began with the project team
taking a good look at the
Edinburgh city region

Enjoy
Edinburgh

As the city is the main economic driver of
the region, the brand is naturally focused
on Edinburgh itself but reflects the
strengths of the wider city region.


Essence

Is Inspiring Capital.
This means that Edinburgh is a dramatic city
bursting with ideas and life.
There is a drama and magical quality to the city
for many people, and it is a place that stimulates
the senses and imagination.

Personality

Edinburgh as a world influencer in
science, education, the arts and business,
whose
stunning physical beauty and
magical atmosphere always inspires.


Values

 Inventive visionary
 Rich diversity
 Striving for excellence
 Sincere warmth
 Understated elegance

Brand Pyramid


Objectives

 To develop a brand which would represent
a cohesive image of city region
 To ensure a more joined up and effective
approach to city promotion
 To create a brand which would allow
economies of scale as public, private
and voluntary sectors

 To develop and enhance Edinburgh’s reputation as a
successful and dynamic world class city region
 To highlight the attractions of the city region as a place to
live, invest, visit and study
 To contribute to improving the economic and social
prosperity

http://www.edinburghbrand.com/

Case studies

Country//Nation

Konecnik, (2010)

Developing its brand identity to
enhance the nation’ s brand value
89 and contribute towards
building a modern and strong
national economy.
Slovenian Tourist Board

For Slovenia to truly reflect the image of the country
where we feel connected with the natural environment,
pleasantly enthusiastic about life itself and continuously in
touch with nature, it is essential to ensure continuing
internal and external communication of the Slovenia
brand - I Feel Slovenia


Thank you.
(References upon request)

Master Class in Branding Places at Boğaziçi University

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