By Amy Lewis, Place Consultant, CTConsults (regular partner of HemingwayDesign)

Deciding to invest in a place brand is a big decision. It demands budget, collaboration, long-term commitment - and, crucially, a clear understanding of what a place brand actually is (and what it isn’t). The truth is, not every place is ready to go through the process of developing and delivering one.

But many places feel they should press ahead anyway - especially if neighbouring towns already have a shiny new brand or if political pressure is building. That pressure is exactly why so many place brands end up as short-lived campaigns or political gestures. And it’s why residents often feel frustrated when money is spent on something that never sticks or delivers any long-term value.

The Honest Advice: Don’t start what you can’t sustain

If you’re not certain you can deliver a place brand - and keep it alive - don’t commission one. Step back and take a strategic look at where your place stands right now and what needs to be in place for a future brand to genuinely succeed. Think of it as a prudent use of time. A readiness review might assess:

• Do you have strong cross-sector partnerships and governance?
• Are you in a position to take a long-term approach to funding?
• Do you have sufficient digital infrastructure?
• What are the current perceptions of your place, internally and externally?
• What opportunities could be leveraged from a place brand process?

Rather than rushing to deliver something glossy under political pressure, stop to think what to do next, and what must be lined up after that.

Hartlepool: A real example of pressing pause

We saw this first-hand in Hartlepool. The project began like any other, but it quickly became clear the conditions weren’t right. We could have carried on, taken the fee, delivered a sub-par ‘brand’, and walked away - as has sadly happened with dozens of failed place brands across the UK (not delivered by this team, I should add!).

But we didn’t. We paused the work, and set out a roadmap for what Hartlepool needed to put in place before they should restart the project. And to Hartlepool’s enormous credit, they did the work.

 A year later, we’re back. This time with more partners, more alignment, and a deeper, shared ambition. The foundations are finally there - and that makes all the difference.

Take the slow, steady route - it pays off

You can save yourself huge amounts of time, money, and reputational risk by resisting the urge to rush. Invite others in. Build partnerships. Get your tools in order. Lay the groundwork. Do the due diligence. Get the timing right.

And when the moment truly is right - when everyone is pulling in the same direction, and there’s a clear case for action - bring in a team that shares your values, hates failure, and has a record of delivering long-term impact.

It’s worth the time to get it right.

Wayne Hemingway, Partner at HemingwayDesign and regular collaborator with CTConsults, has previously called on cities and regions to stop investing in “place blanding” and instead focus on changing behaviour, not just perceptions. Influencing people through what you do, rather than what you say, is one of the most effective ways to shape both internal and external perceptions and build community pride. But reputations aren’t built in a day, and it takes time for a place brand strategy to move the perception needle.

So if you’re considering taking this step and investing in a place brand strategy, take the time to ask yourself: is this right for you, right now?

Only then will your place brand stand a real chance of doing what it was meant to do: create meaningful, lasting value for the place and the people who live there.