Strategic Brand Consultancy
Is place branding a money trap invented by evil advertising agencies? Is it a fool’s gold for destinations? Has any place ever benefited from so-called place branding? How about this scary stat?: 86% of place branding projects fail within a year of introduction. Is there a way to break this curse? Let's figure out the …
About six months ago, Canada launched a tourism campaign called “Know Canada,” targeting Americans. We discussed why the strategy of the campaign was wrong. Here is the key argument: The campaign is based on facts, whereas “purchase decisions” are based on emotions. We also debated that the campaign was addressing to the wrong part of our …
I have always thought that the most difficult branding projects are the place branding ones. As such, I have written quite a bit about the unique challenges of these beasts. The reality is, unfortunately, most of them are destined to fail and this is proven by hard data. Months ago, Czech Republic revealed its new …
This is the last installment of our three-article series: "Why 86% of place brands fail?" First, we talked about the mistakes consultants make. Then, we addressed some of the common misperceptions of places. Today, we will conclude by discussing the role of leadership, consistency, and honesty. Let’s start with leadership. Needless to say, places need …
Continue reading "Why do place brands fail? The human-centered mistakes. Part 3"
Previously, we mentioned that 86% of place brands fail. Then, we first examined the mistakes that brand consultants commit. Today, we will talk about the other half of the equation: The errors that places make. This essay is the second installment of our three-article series. As always, let's start by stating the obvious: a …
Continue reading "Why do place brands fail? The mistakes of the places. Part 2"
NEWS FLASH: Around the world, the place branding failure rate is 86%! Over the past ten years, k629, a place-branding consultancy, has developed a database of more than 5,000 place brands. From that data source, they have found that only 14% of place brands continue a year from launch, meaning the rate of place branding failures …
Continue reading "Place branding failures caused by consultants"
NEWS FLASH: 86% of place brands fail within a year of introduction! Over the past ten years, k629, a place-branding consultancy, has developed a database of more than 5,000 place brands. From that data source, they have found that only 14% of place brands continue a year from launch. They estimate nearly $75 million has been …
Continue reading "Why do place brands fail? The mistakes of the consultant. Part 1"
In the intricate dance of place branding, merely twirling to the tune of stereotypes often leaves cities spinning in circles. With 86% of place branding projects failing, it's high time cities looked inward, seeking their true archetypes— their unique, universal narratives. Take Ottawa's attempt to reshape its 'boring city' stereotype through advertising. Instead of straining to change perceptions—an endeavor as fruitless as convincing a lifelong cat person to favor dogs—cities should excavate their archetypal stories, just as Washington DC, Minsk, and Izmir have done. Through their efforts, these cities have painted vibrant, authentic narratives that resonate deeply, turning their stereotype 'shadows' into archetypal 'light.' In this quest, remember: a city, like its people, is a tapestry of stories—your stereotype is merely a single thread, not the entire weave.
Below, is the comment I left on an article on Brand New. My thoughts on Canada's new campaign generated some interest, so I decided to share them with you. Enjoy it! "I like the simplicity of the design, as well as applications and the selection of images. As usual, BMD has done an excellent "design" …
Branding a place or a large organization is a tough task. It is difficult mainly because you are dealing with many stakeholders, each having their agendas. When I face such a situation, I always say: “In branding 1+1=11.” Particularly, for organizations with multiple stakeholders, my primary job is to have their agreement on a shared …