Branding is commonly associated with consumer products, corporate images and even personalities (e.g. Trump), but this discipline is also essential for creating an identity for a geographic location. The basic positioning approach is the same – define your target audience, identify your unique strengths, develop a compelling promise based on these strengths, and ideally create a name and/or a catchy slogan that communicates this promise and emotionally captivates your customers. Here are three different situations, a city, state and country, that all involve a branding effort to address reputation issues or to capitalize on emerging opportunities: San Francisco, Connecticut and the United Arab Emirates (mainly Dubai and Abu Dhabi).
Restoring the Reputation of SF
This charming city of cable cars and dynamic innovations has some severe urban problems today, especially homelessness and rampant drug use, which have undermined local civic pride and its attraction for tourists and convention-goers. A recent poll showed that 68% of residents thought the city was on the wrong track.
Fortunately this poll also revealed that 86% of the respondents feel these problems could be fixed. The reputation of SF as a key hub of innovation and creativity evolved partially due to the founding of popular companies such as Levi’s, Gap and Uber. Prominent tech billionaires have recently stepped in with significant funding for a new re-branding campaign to revitalize its reputation based on these strengths, with the slogan “It All Starts Here”. Similar to the successful campaign in the late 1970’s for NY (“I Love New York”), these investments will also focus on building more affordable housing and rejuvenating downtown SF.
Creating a New Identity for Connecticut
This state has many attractive qualities that appeal to families, but according to Governor Lamont, there is nothing distinct about Connecticut’s brand image. He describes his state as “sleepy, suburban and not very diverse”. Others perceive it as preppy, wealthy and snooty. A recent survey showed only 50% of residents were proud of their state, although 73% admitted it was a good place to live. Geographically it is sandwiched between two dominant states too, New York and Massachusetts..
Previous attempts to establish an interesting brand image have failed. Its official nickname is the “Nutmeg State”, which is lost on most residents, and its motto of “The Constitution State” is confusing. This is actually a reference to a document adopted in 1639 by leaders of the Connecticut Colony, not the official U.S. Constitution. A branding campaign initiated in 2012 with the slogan “Still Revolutionary” did not resonate, as it was overshadowed by the more recognizable heritage of Boston nearby.
The Governor’s office is exploring campaigns to overcome this amorphous perception of CT. Building on Connecticut’s high-tech manufacturing of helicopters, submarines and spacesuits, it has created the slogan “Make it Here”. Another campaign directed at tourists is underway with the slogan “Find Your Vibe”. It is questionable if these will resonate.
Building a Respectful Brand for U.A.E
United Arab Emirates in the Middle East is a relatively new country yet with enormous potential. With only 0.1% of the global population, it has 10% of the world’s oil reserves. While most of its wealth comes from exporting oil, it is also becoming a green-energy powerhouse, and its non-oil economy segment is growing at a healthy 6% a year. It sits at a crossroads connecting Africa, Asia and Europe which has enabled the U.A.E to develop prosperous businesses in shipping, trade, tourism and transport.
There are several reasons for the U.A.E.’s success. It has benefited from two generations of monarchs with visionary leadership. It is not a democracy but leaders like the current Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed (MBZ) have prudently invested in free markets, economic diversification, talent recruitment and education. It has also banned extremist political Islam. With a strong rule of law directed from the top down, there is little corruption.
The U.A.E. is a close ally of the U.S. although its biggest trading partner is China. In these times of chaos and disorder, it has positioned itself as a safe trading haven for the Middle East, similar to Singapore in Asia. Its recent hosting of the COP28 global climate summit is an example of its strategy to create a political brand image of being neutral like Switzerland.
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