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Simon Campbell
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Branding. Its all pants…
Branding our town and cities: Its all pants…
I am sick with the facile, trite and unimaginative attempts at ‘branding’ towns / cities. Nobody’s doing it at the moment. We must always remember that a brand is the feelings in the hearts and minds of the interested parties interacting with it. Its not a logo or a strap-line. EVERYONE forgets this.
The Savillmeister had it right with Manchester (ie do nothing): Factory records, Hacienda, Manchester United, the trillions of bands etc etc… That’s easy, you don’t need to ‘brand’ it…
BUT what about a place that doesn’t have that reputation and association with MONSTER brands such as Leeds: Live it, Love it - It’s pathetic… An interesting city but what is its brand? What has it become? A place full of suits really…
Come on give me some. Prove me wrong…
Posted on 29/10/06 in Marketing & communication
Comments
Fair points. Not sure i totally understand, though. Peter Saville, as Creative Director for Manchester City Council, did do something. A logo was supplied to the city and is in use today. The logotype, or device, comprised of an uppercase, sans serif M of multiple colours that was created from a typeface specifically used for the job.
London also branded with the TOTALLY LONDON campaign and was aimed at re-positioning London in the World wide Tourism market. It too had a product to move, customers to engage with and a badge for people to recognise that this is what we have bought into. What is a brand?
A brand is built of three components. One, how the owners wish their product/place to be communicated and, to whom. Two, how the brand communication is actually received by the target and, three, the badge that represents point one and two.
11/12 at 23:52 from bill green
I agree with you Bill and the badge that people recognise is a good idea providing the brand guardian makes sure its totally consistent for that place in every media.
Why create a strapline. Isn’t it impossible to represent the complexity of a place and its community in a single ‘powerphrase’.
London for example has a perception in peoples minds which transcends any attempt to communicate through a brand/strapline.
Like a Rubik’s cube, from different perspectives you see a different views of a place.
I personally haven’t seen any ‘brand’ that has truly and accurately captures the essence of a place or more importantly its ambition…
Correct me if I am wrong and post up some links.
24/01 at 00:29 from Simon Campbell
Unfortunately I have to close this article as its being targeted by spammers.
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10/03 at 20:42 from Simon Campbell
