Authentic Place Branding

February 26, 2015

Hello!

Alliance, NE - Downtown Anchorage, AK - Arlington, TX - Beaumont, TX - Bowling Green, KY -

Cabarrus County, NC - Carlsbad, CA - Charlottesville, VA - Cloverdale, CA - Columbus, IN - Concord,

NC - Corinth, MS - Corning & Steuben County, NY - Dayton, OH - Dublin, OH - Elk River, MN -

Fairbanks, AK - Farmington, MI - Franklin & Williamson County, TN - Fremont, NE - Fort Collins, CO - Fort

Wayne, IN - Gainesville, FL - Galveston Island, TX - Grand Prairie, TX - Greeley, CO - Hopkinsville, KY -

Irvine, CA - Katy, TX - Kenai Peninsula, AK - Killeen, TX - Lake Charles, LA - Lake City, SC - Lancaster, CA

- Longmont, CO - Longview, TX - Macon, GA - Marshall County, KY & Kentucky Lake - Meridian, MS -

Mesquite, TX - Missouri City, TX - Northfield, IL - Overland Park, KS - Peoria, AZ - Petoskey-Boyne

Country, MI - Pigeon Forge, TN - Downtown Plymouth, MI - Port Arthur, TX - Providence, RI - River

Parishes, LA - Saint Charles, MO - Saint Paul, MN - Shawnee, KS - Shenandoah, TX - Shreveport-Bossier

City, TX - Sumner County, TN - Sebastopol, CA - Stillwater, OK - Susquehanna Valley, PA - State of

Tennessee - Uvalde, TX - Warrensburg, MO - Colonial Williamsburg, VA

Steve Chandler, TMP

Marketing College Professor - Destination Branding

What makes a memorable destination?

Where do you visit? Describe it.

things you saw things you did places you ate

places you shopped how it made you feel

fountains, park like squares and trees historic carriage tour Paula Deen’s place downtown shops

back in time

We describe destinations the same way.

We do not recite the tagline or recall the logo.

So stop putting it here

Today’s visitors see behind the curtain easier than ever.

So they see you for who you are, regardless of if its what you promote.

Several methods for researching and making decisions.

This is why we have no choice but to be an authentic destination.

Steps for becoming a more authentic destination.

1. Know thyself 2. Inside out and the ground up 3. Claim and seek to own your own position. 4. Empower storytellers and real experiences

Authentic Place Brands Must Know Thyself

You are what you say you are.

You are what others say you are.

You are the company you keep.

The best way to learn who you are - is to ask the question.

surveys groups

intercepts data

observational

And the best place to evaluate your sense of place, is to use your senses.

Sense Branding any other way is non-sense (that’s funny)

See

Feel

Taste

Smell

What do you see? Architecture. Colors. Frequency. Messages. Wayfinding. Signage. Themes. Attractions. Marketing.

What are your sounds? What do you hear? Music. Environment. You are what you say you are. You are what others say you are.

What physical and emotional experiences do you deliver? Things you can touch. Activities you can experience. How do people feel?

What flavors are experienced? Distinct cuisine. Memorable foods.

What fragrance can be associated? Industry. Agriculture. Horticulture. Food.

Hear

Authentic Place Brands Must Be Delivered from the Inside Out and the Ground Up

If an authentic destination is about experiences, then branding must include

everyone that delivers an experience.

Tourism

Attractions and Events.

Exports

Local brands that reach far beyond your boundaries AND promote your

destination.

Governance

Policy, public works, public safety, parks & recreation.

Investment

Private dollars with passion and a vision.

Culture & Heritage

History & Arts. Stories. Buildings. Locations.

People

People that define your destination. Famous. Attitude.

Place Branding Experience Wheel

Quality of L

ife

Business

Tourism

Culture

Herita

ge

Education

Civic Leadership

Peo

ple

Everyone should be involved in the delivery of a destination’s experience. Because they are.

The more people are involved, the more an authentic experience is created.

Nashville

Authentic Place Brands Must Claim and Seek to Own a Position

Why branding a community, city or destination is more difficult than a product or service?

1. No one entity owns the name. But almost everyone shares it.

2. Politics is completely counter-intuitive to branding.

Branding is about owning one strong position and giving up others. Politics is about making sure everyone matters.

It affects - process

creative work and messaging local stakeholders’ buy-in

Marshall County, KY

Industry from the Ky Dam is economic driver.

Tourism #2 and connected to Ky Lake.

Local political pressures resistant to change.

Embrace, claim and connect to our greatest asset - the lake.

Marshall County, KY Strategy

Authentic Place Brands Must Empower Storytelling

If this is where experiences are created, then these same people must be an active part of telling your story.

Quality of L

ife

Business

Tourism

Culture

Herita

geEducation

Civic Leadership

Peo

ple

Real experiences. Not logos.

1. Know thyself 2. Inside out and the ground up 3. Claim and seek to own your own position. 4. Empower storytellers and real experiences

Authentic Place Branding Summary

chandlerthinks.com steve@chandlerthinks.com

twitter - @sschandler facebook - chandlerthinks

Thank you.