BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOs (They’re Not the Same) DMAI Best in Class Presentation Note: this template contains several backgrounds. To see all the options, click the “Layout” drop-down on the Home tab.

GOALS FOR THIS SESSION What branding is…and isn’t Visitor/tourism brand versus an overarching destination brand Freshening the brand Positioning and segmentation

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS You don’t own your brand

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS A brand is not a logo

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS A brand is not a tagline

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS The tagline and logo are just triggers to remind people of your brand

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS These “reminders” might change from time to time but that doesn’t change the brand essence.

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS A brand is not an advertising campaign

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS “Unless you spend enough to get above the noise level, money spent on advertising can be extremely wasteful.”

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS “That’s why mass-media advertising for a brand that isn’t well known or doesn’t have enough money to spend is ill advised. A brand like this is better off doing PR, social media, and anything else it can think of.” Laura Reis

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS A brand is how you communicate who and what you are.

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS Branding is a process of learning, unlearning, trying, measuring and recalibrating

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS Even really good taglines and logos are pretty broad and even generic

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS Use all of the facets of your brand

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS Tourism/visitor brand or overarching brand?

DCVBS ORIGINAL BRAND

DURHAM BRAND PROMISE

DURHAM CORE STRENGTHS

TESTING Seven themes Four taglines Four logos/visual depictions (including the current logo) National sample and state sample

DURHAM BRAND SIGNATURE

ADOPTIONS

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS Locals had to buy it; others had to try it.

TESTING THE BRAND PENETRATION Durham Residents’ Familiarity with the Brand

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS How do you know if your brand needs freshening?

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS What is positioning?

IN SUMMARY Think beyond the logo and tagline Address every touchpoint Reassess…and test – Is it a communication issue or a resonance issue? If you haven’t already, start to think about positioning and segmentation and how that relates to the brand.

QUESTIONS?

CREATING AN OVERARCHING BRAND

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS Brands aren’t created; they’re revealed

FRESHENING THE BRAND

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS Values Core Strengths Personality Emotional Benefits Brand Promise Reasons to Believe Signature (Brand Essence)

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS Put most of your focus on the brand essence

BRANDING - WHAT IT ISN’T It is a result of integrated and consistent marketing and communication. It is a combination of verbal and visual, physical and experiential elements.

BRANDING – WHAT IT IS Your personality The sum of who you are and what you stand for; as well as what differentiates you from others. It is not something to be “created.” It is something that is already there…you have to mine it and figure out how to “reveal” it.

BRANDING - WHAT IT IS

DCVB BRANDING HISTORY DCVB was formed in We had a brand in the early days but it was only for visitor promotion and not quite as thoroughly developed as many later brands were. It consisted of brand positioning, brand values and a visual “look” and style.

DCVB BRANDING HISTORY – “Genuine, Textured, Authentic”

DCVB BRANDING HISTORY 2005 – Community stakeholders were interested in pursuing an overarching brand. DCVB hired an outside place-branding expert to do a brand review & assessment (focus groups, interviews.) A-H-B-L. DCVB proceeds with phase two, revealing and articulating the Durham brand.

OVERARCHING BRAND Upsides –everyone sounds like they are talking about the same place. Downsides – rare to get everyone using the same signature or same look…we did not make that a requirement. Tends to be broader – harder to truly differentiate

ADOPTIONS

TESTING THE BRAND PENETRATION Triangle State of NC

WHY ONLY TESTING IT CLOSE TO HOME? Has to resonate with the people who will deliver on the brand. DCVB couldn’t use the brand enough on its own…had to rely on everyone using it.

BRANDING AND POSITIONING FOR DMOS Even before your DMO…you already had a brand