Destination Branding

Destination Branding

Alastair M. Morrison

Donald J. Anderson

Purdue UniversityJune 10, 2002

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Topics

The PIB ModelWhat is a brand?What is destination branding?What is a destination brand?What a brand is not …..just!Destination branding successesFive phases of brand developmentBrand identity developmentImplications for CVBs

Are You Confused about Destination Branding?

Image Perception

Positioning

SustainableCompetitiveAdvantage

Product Differentiation

Branding

A plethoraof terms

The PIB ModelPositioning-Image-Branding

Visitor Destination-CVB

Perceptions

Image

Images

Positioning

Branding

ProductDevelopmentMarketingDestination

Choice

Destination Image

Role of Image in Destination Choice

Travelers’ images of destinations play an important role in destination choice.

“Image differentiates tourist destinations from each other and is an integral and influential part of the traveler’s decision process” (Baloglu and Brinberg, 1997).

One of the reasons is the intangibility of destinations. They cannot be sampled or tested out before the purchase like most products.

Definition of Destination Image

The sum of beliefs, ideas, and impressions that a person has of a destination (Crompton, 1979).

A set of cognitions and affections that represent an entity to an individual (Mazursky and Jacoby, 1986).

A mental representation of an object or place (Fridgen, 1987).

The visual or mental impression of a place, a product, or an experience held by the general public (Milman and Pizam, 1995).

Components of Destination Image

Gunn (1972) identified two components of image:

Organic: Images formed by individuals themselves through such things as past experiences with destinations, and through unbiased sources of information (e.g., news reports, movies, newspaper articles, etc.).

Induced: Images created through information received from external sources, including destination advertising and promotion.

Branding

Destination Positioning

What is Positioning?

“Positioning starts with a product. A piece of merchandise,

a service, a company, an institution, or even a person. But positioning is not what you do to a product. Positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect. That is you position the product in the mind of the prospect.”

Al Ries and Jack Trout. Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind.

“Positioning begins with the customer. But positioning is not so much what you say about your products or company as much as it is what your customers say about you.”

Regis McKenna. Relationship Marketing.

What is Positioning?

“Positioning is the act of designing the company’s offering and image to occupy a distinctive place in the target market’s mind.”

Philip Kotler. Marketing Management: The Millennium Edition.

“Positioning is the development of a service and a marketing mix to occupy a specific place in the minds of customers within target markets.”

Alastair Morrison. Hospitality and Travel Marketing.

Positioning Success Stories

The Uncola

Where’s the beef?

Destination Branding

What is a Brand?

“A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of

sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors.”

Kotler, Philip. (2000). Marketing management: The millennium edition. Prentice-Hall, p. 404

The Great Power of Brand Names

Definition of Destination Branding

Destination branding is a process used to develop a unique identity and personality that is different from all competitive destinations.

Destination branding is “selecting a consistent brand element mix to identify and distinguish a destination through positive image building” (Cai, 2000)

“Branding is perhaps the most powerful marketing weapon available to contemporary destination marketers” (Morgan and Pritchard, 2002, p. 11)

Definition of Destination Branding

Destination branding is about combining all things associated with the 'place' (i.e., its products and services from various industries -- agriculture; tourism; sports; arts; investment; technology; education, etc.) that collaborate under one brand. Its aim is to capture the essence of the destination, in a unified manner, and can be consumed simultaneously at a symbolic and experiential level. It is then used to market those unique added values to consumer needs and sustaining its success in the face of competition.

What is a Destination Brand?

A destination brand is:

A way to communicate a destination’s unique identity to visitors

A means of differentiating a destination from its competitors

A uniform “look” that all destination partners can consistently use

A symbol, name, term or design, or combination of these elements

What a Brand is Not …… Just!

A destination brand brand is not just: An advertising slogan (or tag line) A logo to stick on a t-shirt A distinctive color scheme A brochure or Web site

And definitely not: A vacuous statement that locals have

dreamed up to improve community self-image A “pet” idea of a local politician to drum up all

types of economic development

Vacuous =

Vague ormeaningless

Explanation for Don!!

Challenges of Destination Branding

Destinations are not a single product but composite products consisting of a mix of different components (the destination mix).

Destination marketers have little control over the destination mix they are branding.

There is a diverse range of organizations and partners involved in crafting and delivering on the brand.

Often there is a lack of enough funding for branding efforts.

Political influences may be felt.

Corporate Tourism Brands

Destination Branding Successes: International

1969

mid-1970s

Destination Branding Successes: National

Destination Branding Successes:Midwest Regional

Then ……What is a Good Brand?

AttractiveConsistent with positioningConveys excitement and qualityExpresses the destination’s personalityMemorableSimpleTransportable to the Web as a domain

nameUniqueWell-accepted by all partners

Then ……What is a Good Brand?

An emotional attachment to the destination must be built with a brand that is:CredibleDeliverableDifferentiatingConveying powerful ideasEnthusing for partners and stakeholdersResonating with visitors

Morgan and Pritchard, 2002, p. 27

Five Phases of Destination Branding

Phase 1: Market investigation, analysis and strategic recommendations

Phase 2: Brand identity developmentPhase 3: Brand launch and introduction

– communicating the visionPhase 4: Brand implementationPhase 5: Monitoring, evaluation and

review

Morgan and Pritchard, 2002, pp. 26-30

Brand Identity Development

The Destination Brand Benefit PyramidDeveloping the Brand ArchitectureIdentifying Brand Drivers

The Destination Brand Benefit Pyramid

What is the essential nature and character of the brand?

What psychological rewards or emotional

benefits do people get by visiting this destination?

What does value mean for the typical repeat visitor?

What are the tangible, verifiable, objective, measurable characteristics of the destination?

What benefits to the visitor result fromthe destination’s features?

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5

Developing the Brand Architecture

What is the “core personality” of our area as a visitor destination?

What positive images do visitors have of of our area?

What positive images do residents have of our area?

What positive images do industry partners have of our area?

Developing the Brand Architecture

What are the words or phrases that best describe us?

What symbols or key images are associated with our destination?

What concepts, ideas, events, and people are associated with our destination?

What do we have that no-one else has?

What Are Our Brand Drivers?

Brand drivers are the essence of a place – the destination’s unique and own-able qualities that make it different from other places.

Walter Landor, Landor Associates, San Francisco as quoted in: “More than a logo: Building a brand identity” by Kathleen

Cassedy, HSMAI Marketing Review, Summer 2001

Brand Architecture

Positioning

Rational Benefits

Land of fire and stone

Rugged, unspoilt, wilderness. Dramatic scenery. Romantic history, heritage, and folklore. Warm and feisty people.

Scotland

Brand Architecture

Emotional Benefits

Personality

I feel in awe of the elements in Scotland. I feel embraced by the warmth of the people.

Independent. Warm. Mysterious. Rugged. Feisty.

Scotland

Implications for CVBs

Destination Branding Implications

A CVB must:Determine visitor (leisure and business)

images and perceptions.Develop a positioning approach and

statement.Design the brand identity to support

positioning with input and support of all stakeholders.

Implement and invest in the brand over the long term.

Monitor and evaluate the brand’s success.

Questions & Answers

Missouri Association of Convention & Visitor BureausAnnual MeetingJune 10, 2002