How I Learned to Stop Loving the Logo, and Start Living the Brand
Distinctively different Unique festivals Variety of activities Unique variety of things to see and do Shopping Unique shopping Fabulous shopping Dining Fine dining Luscious dining Wide array of restaurants Southern hospitality Relaxing activities in gracious surroundings True Southern hospitality
3,000+ ads per day 200+ per waking hour 3+ every waking minute People want more control over their lives, but they also want to simplify
What is casual? Business casual Active casual Rugged casual Sporty casual Dressy casual Smart casual
The side effects of having more choices:
Brand as Beacon Brand = Emotional Connection
Name Logo Advertising Public Relations Social Media Packaging Merchandise Activities Events Signage Services Slogans People
It s not about branding It s about brand management, a never-ending process for which all stakeholders are responsible
A brand is the sum of its component sensory experiences
Starbucks
Starbucks Coffee
Half of all women make up their mind within 30 seconds of meeting a man about whether he is boyfriend material versus 22% of men.
Shopping, dining, and a variety of activities??? An interesting story that she can t hear anywhere else???
Every Brand Has A Personality A Culture Values Attributes Benefits
My 7 Cs of Strong Brands
1. Competitive Edge Your unique selling proposition
2. Customer Focused Does the brand create value? Does the positioning preempt the competition?
3. Clarity Can benefits be communicated through the brand? Are they clearly understood?
4. Credibility Is the brand believable?
The emotional bond between Las Vegas and its customers was freedom. Freedom on two levels. Freedom to do things, see things, eat things, wear things, feel things. In short, the freedom to be someone we couldn t be at home. And freedom from whatever we wanted to leave behind in our daily lives. Just thinking about Vegas made the bad stuff go away. At that point the strategy became clear. Speak to that need. Make an indelible connection between Las Vegas and the freedom we all crave.
Can you deliver upon the brand promise and stakeholders act as brand ambassadors? 5. Culture
What would you do? Say I m sorry and offer to sell the customer a replacement? Replace the item at no charge to the customer? Replace the item at no charge, and give the customer a coupon good for a free item on their next visit?
6. Commitment Brand Integration: Do stakeholders live, eat, sleep, and breathe the brand at every opportunity?
7. Create a dissatisfaction with the status quo Delivering real benefits to consumers - What marketing is ultimately about
RATIONAL benefit: "Southwest Airlines makes it possible for more people to experience things firsthand: to see and do more things more often than ever before." EMOTIONAL benefit: "Freedom is Southwest Airlines' brand promise and must be viewed as a sacred responsibility. It is SWA's higher calling."
Some Common Mistakes
Brand as Only Logo and Tagline No Follow Through
Destination branding is who you are. Destination marketing is how you communicate who you are. Tom Buncle, VisitScotland
Tying the Brand Identity to Political Boundaries or Entities
Trying Too Hard
Getting Too Clever
Don t Ignore the Brand Equity You Already Own
Assuming It Takes a Big Budget
Poor Execution
Playing It Too Safe, or Saying We ve Got it All!
Being Risk-Averse and Playing It Safe Avoiding the bland brand We ve got it all! Trying to keep everyone happy Politics Lack of understanding of the target audience Not realizing you have competition or understanding their positioning
Internal Boredom
Put Your Dreams in Motion
Beyond Your Dreams. Within Your Reach.
Not Understanding the Target Audience
Kentucky is a place where spirits are free to soar and big dreams can be fulfilled. We relish competition and cherish our champions for their willingness to push beyond conventional boundaries to reach new heights of success.
Half of all women make up their mind within 30 seconds of meeting a man about whether he is boyfriend material versus 22% of men.
Use Storytelling to Express the Power of Your Brand
Leverage Social Media
Develop concepts and location recommendations for an icon that would be memorable and unique to San Diego, similar to the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hollywood Sign, or the St. Louis Arch. San Diego seeks to set itself apart and create a strong visual connection with travelers must do or bucket lists. " All visitors should seek to take a photo/selfie and share the icon through social media. All visitors should aspire to see the San Diego icon.
Social Media as an Influence, Even Upon Ad Design This Montana sponsored Instagram post was particularly revealing. Even non-snowboarders liked the image. Makes you think what your own Instagram photo would look like. Looks like an Instagram photo your friends don t have. Social media in travel is vital to Millennials: I gotta let the fans know where I am. In some cases, even destination ads were evaluated based upon whether the place might inspire a social media post.
Asking the Public for Help
Fuquay-Varina: Just Past the Dump Fuquay-Varina: More Teeth Than You'd Expect Fuquay-Varina: Why Choose Sides? Fuquay-Varina: Men Are From Fuquay, Women Are From Varina Fuquay-Varina: We Don't Know What It Means, Either
Mostly sales and marketing focused Very little emphasis upon destination brand Little collaboration with local government and economic development entities
Catalyst for new tourism product development Active (vs. passive) supporter of tourism growth Identifies sources of project funding Works with local, state, and federal governments Critical partner in economic development Brings stakeholders together for mutual benefit Brand management.
How I Learned to Stop Loving the Logo, and Start Living the Brand