The document discusses the need for a collaborative brand strategy for the UK coast in order to holistically manage coastal development, conservation, and promotion. It notes that responsibility over the coast is currently fragmented with no overarching strategy. The speaker proposes crowd-funding the creation of a coastal brand hierarchy, including a national coastal brand strategy supported by country-level and local offers, to coordinate coastal initiatives, experiences, and management. This strategy would help drive investment and regeneration of coastal communities while celebrating Britain's coastal heritage.

1. CREATING A COLLABORATIVE BRAND STRATEGY FOR THE UK COAST
The Seamless Sea – Policy Forum 19 October 2016

2. CREATING A COLLABORATIVE BRAND STRATEGY FOR THE UK COAST
Introduction:
Malcolm Allan MD Placematters Ltd.
• Place and Destination Brand Strategists
• International tourism destination brand experience
• Advisers to Failte Ireland on Wild Atlantic Way
• Advisers to British Hospitality Association on
contribution of tourism to regeneration of seaside
towns

3. CREATING A COLLABORATIVE BRAND STRATEGY FOR THE UK COAST
I’m passionate about our coast
I grew up in coastal communities in the west of Scotland

4. Creating a Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
My Proposition
We need a collaborative brand strategy for the conservation,
development and management of the offer and experience of
the UK Coast
I’m planning to crowd‐ fund its development

5. CREATING A COLLABORATIVE BRAND STRATEGY FOR THE UK COAST
WHY?
It’s time to come together and create a holistic approach to
coastal management, development and promotion
If we don’t come together coastal development & management
will remain fractured

6. CREATING A COLLABORATIVE BRAND STRATEGY FOR THE UK COAST
A Place Brand Strategy assesses, develops, plans,
promotes, delivers, manages and promotes the Offer
and Experience of a place

7. CREATING A COLLABORATIVE BRAND STRATEGY FOR THE UK COAST
The UK does not have a Coastal Brand Strategy
In consequence there is not a holistic approach to its
conservation, development, management and promotion

8. CREATING A COLLABORATIVE BRAND STRATEGY FOR THE UK COAST
Ireland is developing one for its Atlantic Coast
It’s designed to conserve, connect, develop, manage and
promote its offer along 2500km of coastline

9. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
Our work on the WAW led to PM being contracted in 2015 by the
British Hospitality Association to assess the potential
contribution of coastal tourism to regeneration of seaside towns

10. The Potential Contribution of Coastal Tourism to the
Regeneration of Seaside Towns
The Report is available on PM website
http://www.placematters.co/pdf/BHA_CoastalTourism_2016.pdf

11. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
BHA Study Objectives
1. Assess the current and potential value and contribution of
coastal tourism to the regeneration of seaside towns and
coastal communities
2. Assess the nature of the changes in consumer’s preferences,
behaviours and expenditure as tourists and their
implications for coastal tourism provision
3. Develop a plan of action for the British Hospitality
Association (BHA) to submit to central government in the UK
and the devolved administrations on coastal development in
order to support private sector investment in coastal
communities

12. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
Some Headlines
• The UK’s coastline is long in comparison to the UK’s
land area and to the coasts of some other, similar
sized countries at around 12,500 km or 7,760 miles.
• The UK coastline is in effect our largest national
park and represents a significant leisure resource
• Because it is linear, the size and importance of the
coast are often unrecognised
• Because there is so much coast its challenges are
often unrecognised

13. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
The Coast is a Major Destination
• 23 million overnight visits to the English, Scottish and
Welsh seaside by GB residents in 2014
• Resulted in spending of £4.9 billion
• 144 million day visits by GB residents where the
seaside was the main place visited in 2014 which
resulted in spending of almost £5 billion

14. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
Some Observations from a Brand Perspective
• The coast is central to our island identity
• In many respects our coast defines us as an island nation
• Our coasts have played an important part in our history

15. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
Key Challenges to be Addressed
The UK coastal tourism “landscape” is complex and fragmented,
with many types of organisations having their fingers in the pie,
which affects the contribution of coastal tourism to the
regeneration of seaside towns
The challenges of the coast and the marine environment
require us to come together to work together

16. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
Some Key Findings
Six key growth areas in international tourism that might
act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the UK coast
1. Food/Gastronomy
2. Health/Wellness
3. Music/Festival
4. Adventure
5. Culture/Education
6. Nomadism ‐ the rise of the “Experience Seeking Drive
Traveller”

17. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
Our Key Findings
1. No holistic market for the coastal
offer
2. Four core groups of consumers
(“tribes”) now exist with specific
leisure and recreation interests
that the coast should address
3. Some interests significantly
overlap but others are
substantially divergent
4. Four distinctive trends identified
that will have a significant impact
on coastal leisure, recreation and
care:
‐ Hybridism
‐ Creative Tourism
‐ Educational tourism
‐ Environmental care

18. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
New Tourism Product Development is Key
New and improved tourism product offers hold the key
to tourism’s contribution to seaside town regeneration

19. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
Other Key Challenges to be URGENTLY Addressed
• Responsibility for coastal conservation, development and
management is fractured
• Paucity of strategic thinking on coastal development
• Lack of collaboration on coastal development and marine matters
• Coastal tourism promotion overly competitive
• Tourism product development underfunded and short‐term’ist
• Consumer markets are changing/new “tribes” want new offers
• Disconnect between offer and consumers
• Seaside towns playing catch‐up
• Inconsistent story being told
In consequence there is no coherent brand strategy for the offer of the UK
coast and the maritime environment as a place worth conserving, protecting,
living, developing a business, understanding, exploring and visiting

20. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
My Proposal
A commitment by public, private and independent organisations involved in
marine and maritime protection, conservation, heritage, coastal economic
development and coastal tourism development to work together in a
collaborative way for the good of the coast

21. Creating a Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
My Proposal
The Creation of a Coastal Development Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
Designed to create a Holistic Approach to Coastal, Marine and Maritime
Conservation, Economic Development, Management and Promotion
Not the design of a new logo – The Creation of a New Unifying Strategy

22. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
My Proposal
To be Crowdfunded by Those Who Care for the Coast

23. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
My Proposal
At the top of the brand hierarchy‐ a national coastal brand
strategy that:
• Identifies the mix and variety of coastal landscapes
across the UK
• Tells the story about the heritage, the offer and
experience of the UK coast to a domestic and
international audience
• Helps to direct and coordinate planning, investment,
delivery and management of improvements in the
conservation, management, offer and experience of the
coast

24. Creating a Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
My Proposal
At the second tier ‐ a “country” brand offer that reflects the
variety and mix of types of maritime coastal initiatives, offers,
experiences by constituent UK country

25. Creating a Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
Our Proposals
At a local level (stretches of coast) brand offers that reflect the
local variety and mix of maritime coastal initiatives & offers

26. Creating a Collaborative Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
My Proposal
This coastal tourism brand hierarchy should be embraced by and
reflected in the ‘GREAT Britain’ marketing campaign, and linked
through a common narrative, imagery and brand identity

27. Creating a Brand Strategy for the UK Coast
Our Coastal Tourism report is available on PM website
http://www.placematters.co/pdf/BHA_CoastalTourism_2016.pdf