Comments

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  Paul Barnett February 8, 2010 at 5:38pm

  Here is a question for you. In terms of sustainability, isn´t destination branding a fundamentally flawed concept? We all know that branding is a long-term project, longer than most government administrations usually last. And, with changes of administrations usually come new ideas, often for the sake of new ideas. So, does this lack of consistency, of changing identity and messages, not dilute or destroy brand value for a desitnation? Is it not time for a radical re-think about the way destinations are branded and marketed?
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  Paul Barnett February 3, 2010 at 8:41pm

  Vikas. I cannot really comment about the Incredble India campaign specifically as I am not that well informed about it, and the impact it has had. I do hear positive things about it, and perhaps it is a good example. But, I believe it wrong to think of branding just in terms of campaign. Campaign is about promoting an image, and for sure this is part of branding. But, I think branding is far more than that. As I have suggested, I believe it can be used to inform policies and decisions that lead to sustainable development of a region. Actions driven by the brand can have a big impact, as they do in private companies. Arguably they can have a bigger impact in relation to destination branding. There are few other ways to get all stakholders focused on the same goal when the project as large as destination branding. I think this aspect of branding is at least as important, if not more so, than a tool to build a image.
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  Vikas Tembhare February 3, 2010 at 7:15am

  Paul.. I understand your point.. If we can take an example for any branding activity of any destination, can we come on the point what are the good and bad aspect of the activity (Campaign).??
  
  I want to understand through example if the branding activity is taking place.. what can be a good and bad effect on the destination, whether campaign is good or bad.
  
  I was putting my thought on "Incredible India" campaign, closely and I am getting all the positive feedback from tourist and stakeholder. How it is possible to say all positive about any campaign (It may be), but always there are some negativity. if not any negative then what re-branding takes place??
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  Paul Barnett February 3, 2010 at 3:21am

  Alan, I think Englan´d Vineyards will do well with domestic tourists as many are serious wine consumers and are increasingly staying at home, perhaps a short-term trend due to the recession, perhaps not. I think marketed as a short-break option it will work.
  
  Vikas, I think the possible negative impacts of destination branding done badly are many. Selling a false image can do long-term damage if visitors are dissapointed and spread the bad news, hungry to prove successful politicians are often interested in the number of tourists rather than the quality of them, and with this comes sex tourism, environmental problems etc. Bad destination branding also focuses only on external image, and is not used to focus positive policy making for sustainable development in tourism, and is often not explained or implemented well to all local stakeholders so they do not feel they have any ´ownership´ of what is being imposed on them. I think these cover some of the key problems, but for sure not all of them.
  
  On the other hand Destination Marketing done well can, I am sure, be a very positive catalyst for regional development in many places. The problem is it is rarely well done from what I can see. If not problems, for sure opportunities are not maximised as a result.
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  Vikas Tembhare February 2, 2010 at 9:13pm

  Paul.. I am completely agree with you.. I was following the discussion.
  
  I can see all the positive aspects of the Destination branding of any nation or destination.. I would be keen to know your views on the negative impact of the same (If any).
  
  I would appreciate your views on this....
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  Rafa Luque February 2, 2010 at 3:06pm

  Alan,
  Very interesting & challenging project about England's Vineyards. Check James Clarke's article about Charles Hamilton & Painshill Park (The World of Fine Wine, Issue 21 2008, pg. 80-85).
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  Paul Barnett January 31, 2010 at 4:14pm

  The attached document, Why Nation Branding Dissapoints, includes many clues to the reasons why tourism destination branding also frequently dissapoints. But are there other reasons? Why Nation Branding Dissapoints.docx

  https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/9012222461?profile=original
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  Paul Barnett January 28, 2010 at 2:39pm

  Alan, The England´s Vineyards project sounds great. I am very interested to see how the project develops and what the issues are as it does, compared to trying to develop similar projects with the public sector driving it. I imagine you have a pretty good idea of the pros and cons already, but I guess also time will tell regarding results.
  
  Here in Brazil I am publishing guide books, but for them I am also developing the kind of tourism I want to promote by establishing branded tourist routes. The first ones will be privately funded. In future I hope to engage public sector support, but not financial dependency or control. Actually I am hoping that my case studies will lead to them outsourcing their miss-guided projects to me, as they are creating routes, but not as brands, and within boundaries that the brand stories extend beyond.
  
  Re-Wine Routes in Brazil, yes they are in the plans for future development, and I may well engage your help. First I must complete the projects I already started, focused on history and culture.
  
  My background is traditional brand strategy development, I ran a boutique agency in London. I see fundamental problems in the concept of country branding as it is currently practiced, due to the critical differences between product and nation / place branding.
  
  I am very interested on your thoughts on the single brand idea. At the moment I have a problem in seeing how that applies to Nation Branding, and the logic in trying to make it fit. If a brand is, as often quoted, the sum of our perceptions, knowledge and experiences of a nation or place, an individual mind made concept, does a one size fits all approach make sense, and should it?
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  Alan 'Brand' Williamson January 28, 2010 at 11:15am

  Private Sector-led Regional Branding
  Paul, here's an example from my own portfolio:
  Project England's Vineyard is a new regional destination brand scheduled to be launched in 2010 comprising the greatest concentration of vineyards in the SouthEast Counties of England: Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire/Isle of Wight & Berkshire.
  
  Led by the private-sector marketing arm of the English Wine Producers trade body and supported by the public sector Tourism South East, Project England's Vineyard is designed not only to generate tourism, but also inward investment and exports.
  
  The Talent and Terroir (the soil is similar to France's Champagne district) is resulting in the unthinkable: English sparklers are beating the French houses in international competitions - the current champ is Nyetimber from Sussex.
  
  Gary Vaynerchuk, the social media sommelier and online global celebrity is returning to the UK in early summer 2010 to help us position this new destination brand online using social media platforms.
  
  Paul, I hope the above has inspired you to get one of the up and coming wine regions of Brazil branded. We'll be happy to support you.
  
  Later, I'll aim to answer your question: Should a destination focus on a single big brand idea or multiple big brand ideas? Meanwhile please swat up via google on DNA Molecules and Anti-Parallels.

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  Paul Barnett January 28, 2010 at 2:54am

  Here is an eye opening article on destination branding in America from the Wall Street Journal. Some of the comments are great too! One comment had a link to an article "When is Destination Branding Really Destination Blanding?" in it he made one great point that is seems many states in the US just aren´t getting, "a tagline does not a destination brand make"