Place Branding

The dizzying transformations wrought by COVID-19 lock-downs are not simply economic and social shocks. They are also profound blows to the psyche of places – their sense of identity, purpose and sustainability. It’s a crisis of confidence. And confidence is one of the most critical resources any locale needs to move forward.

What does it mean to be a destination when visitors can no longer travel? Far from obstacle or paralysis, COVID-19 should be a call-out for innovators to create new and timely solutions. How can you utilise this time to make your destination seem so desirable that it's the first place people want to visit when the travel restrictions are lifted?

In our recent survey looking at Place Branding for the 2020s, we asked our respondents whether their storytelling was rooted in place values or focused primarily on place assets – the answers suggested a slightly stronger focus on assets. The COVID-19 pandemic has given us an opportunity to pause and think about whether we want to continue on the same tracks we've been running along for the last five decades or if there's time for real change in the way that we think about what we are doing, and what our places stand for.

A clear place brand strategy is more than a nice accessory - it creates a framework for how your destinations should respond to unexpected challenges. Clare Barnett, Director of Economic Development & Culture for the City of Brampton, explains how they have centred their place brand identity at the heart of their COVID-19 response, and how a clear communication strategy and policy advocacy is enabling them to support their private sector through the crisis.

Is there a danger that we lose focus on sustainability in favour of quick recovery after COVID-19? Or is now the time to make real change, to take this global standstill and use it as a chance to determine how we can build more sustainable tourism and place economies?

5G has been in the pipeline since as early as 2008. Today, 5G is nearly in our grasp and 2020 will see the first roll out of commercially viable 5G in consumer devices. But what does it really mean for cities? For businesses? Will 5G herald the next wave of digital transformation or will we just be living in a faster version of our current society?

What happens when place branding becomes separated from the government? What changes when the private sector becomes the leading driver of a place brand strategy?  Can it work?  We looked to three contrasting examples of private sector-led place branding initiatives to understand some developing trends in private sector engagement.

Design has never been more beautiful. Video has never been cheaper to produce. But if you don't understand the DNA of your place, you can't land a successful place branding strategy. Todd Babiak, CEO at Brand Tasmania, shares his thoughts for ensuring success.

No one wants to imagine the worst will happen. But being prepared is key to managing a potential crisis. With Coronavirus creating an international emergency, we looked at what connects three examples of best practice in the face of overwhelming adversity.

How do you re-brand a city successfully? Thirty years on from the creation of their original brand, the City of Mississauga decided to relaunch their place brand strategy to bring their identity in line with the diverse population of the city. But how have they made this ambition a reality?