Every place has a story, but not every place knows how to tell it

Be here now…as Oasis might say! This seems like a clarion call for any destination looking to attract attention and attendance.

In a world that seems dominated by the ‘Oasis’ wave, it seems only appropriate to refer to the brothers Gallagher as they and their reputation continue to contribute to the brand of Manchester as a cultural hub. It is a city with a brand that is now known for its spirited attitude to creativity and business.

Manchester has a clear positioning and Oasis, by association, reinforce why city branding is becoming more and more critical as places across the country and the world fight to attract different audiences to feed their local economies.

The 3be’s

Be real (or authentic, to use a buzzword)

A place brand must be built upon a bedrock of an authentic truth. Something that is genuinely valuable, something that can be sought and found within the destination itself and something that is admired by visitors and residents alike. When we worked with Sheffield City Council, we identified a restless spirit as something that was present not only in their authentic past but also in their present and future. It is a city that has been built on innovation. Historically, its industrial past formed the shoulders on which it was built and then grew. Latterly, it has been the hotbed of an important arts and culture scene, and it will soon be a leader in its support of innovative, leading-edge children’s health technology and other new-age industries. These are but a few examples of how innovation has always been central to the city’s progressive development and continues to inspire its progress. We captured this authentic truth in the short story: ‘Sheffield inspires, always has, always will…’ and this now creates a valuable and clear differentiation from other locations. It drives fascination and interest from external audiences and generates a sense of pride from the all-important internal audience.

Be interesting (don’t be dull)

Don’t just be right, be interesting. So many places seem to be based on a worthy but ultimately forgettable proposition. Perhaps this is due to a complex stakeholder decision-making process that has compromised the final outcome, but the result is frankly bland. The brutal truth is that the idea must be ‘interesting’, otherwise it simply will not lodge in the minds of the audience. It must be a clever cocktail of the following ingredients: a slice of an authentic truth, a pinch of provocation and a sprinkle of intrigue, all mixed in such a way as to be enjoyably consumed by specific audiences.

The city of Austin in Texas captured the hearts and minds of locals and visitors alike when they proclaimed, “Keep Austin Weird.” Although at first sight this looks a little… weird, it has worked well as not only a defensive stance against incoming big brands that threatened to dominate local businesses, but also as a claim that attracts visitors looking for something a bit different. It struck a chord with residents who could see a truth in it, and they fully embraced its proclamation of weirdness and quirkiness. They could identify with why this was right, and it provided a beacon that would attract like-minded souls, ranging from hippies to entrepreneurs, from artists to academics, all of whom wanted to be seen as slightly eccentric!

All places have a range of fascinating stories, but a place brand must provide a strong platform that can guide and express these underlying stories in a consistent, coherent and interesting way – helping them work together to build a strong, singular association for the city brand in the minds of its audiences. The ideal outcome would be an audience recall that “City X, that’s the place that: _ _ _ _” (fill in the blanks with your desired positioning). Create a seed of intrigue that draws the chosen audiences in to find out more. Don’t just be right, be interesting…

Be relevant (to those that you want to love you)

You can’t be all things to all people all of the time. If you try too hard to appeal to everyone, you will compromise everything and inevitably end up sounding bland. It is always best to identify the specific audience groups who will be critical for your future success and shape the brand positioning to be very relevant and compelling to them. In order to achieve this, the core brand story will need to be able to modulate and flex to resonate with the designated target groups. Finding a proposition that is relevant to all these groups can be challenging, but if the core story acts as a lens that is refocused to suit the different designated audiences, you can ensure that you maintain a strong core message that is both consistent and coherent. One city, one brand…

In conclusion

Cut through the complexity that cities and locations represent to identify what is real, and use this as the base for a compelling brand story in a way that is both really interesting and highly relevant to diverse audiences.

Simple!