Everyone and everything has a brand. Your brand is really the first thing people think about when you say the item. States, cities and towns all have brands that are entrenched with their tourists and local residents.
These brands are created to attract not only tourists but people to want to relocate and for businesses to want to come and set up shop. With the recent economic challenges, many areas have been hard hit and this is affecting their brand to the outside world.
Michigan is one state that has been hit hard with recent developments. The states’ tourism board has developed a campaign “Pure Michigan” that has not only helped with tourism but also helps make the hard hit residents feel good about their home again. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-08-09-1Astateimage09_CV_N.htm
The campaign talks about beaches and what life is like in Michigan. It’s designed to make locals feel sentimental about their home and let outsiders know that they have great things to offer. It’s a way to escape for a moment the hardships many in the state have felt especially within the hard hit auto industry.
These branding campaigns have the ability to “sell” an area to outsiders and even show locals things they might have forgotten. In Philadelphia they have created the “send it with love” postcards. They have appeared all over town and on local billboards. The lighthearted postcards are addressed to people such as “Dear Powdered Wig Lovers” or “Dear Outdoorsy People” then tells them where they can find that activity in the city and closes with xoxo Love Philadelphia.
Good branding can unite a community and instill pride in its’ residents.
Think about where you live and what is its’ brand. Do you agree with that or think your local tourism group or chamber of commerce should come up with a new idea?
No comments:
Post a Comment