Placebranding: Our Conceptual Framework for Brand Strategy
Every place, be it a city, a tourist destination, a hotel, or simply a space where people gather, has its residents, visitors, special features, politics, cultural inflections and other nuances that give it a unique context.
Arrival Projects’ job is to help transform those nuances into a consolidated brand identity through placebranding exercises, positioning the place to speak to the audiences who deserve to hear it most.
At Arrival Projects, we believe that the essence of a successful brand strategy for destinations, hotels, travel organizations and others lies in the conceptual framework of placebranding.
When we think of places, it’s normal to first think of their physical attributes - structures, crowds of people, parks, commercial areas, stadiums - but the true experience of a city transcends its physicality, encompassing its humanity, history, and unique differentiating points that lead to a holistic identity, what makes the place different and special.
Placebranding is a crucial exercise when seeking to attract new audiences; without a clear sense of place, it’s easy to become just one of many, undefined, unremarkable.
Placebranding transforms static spaces into vibrant, livable, visitable places, through a compelling narrative that brings the place to life and speaks to the new audiences.
The Importance of Placebranding
Great places don't just happen; they require intentional efforts to guide their transformation and evolution. At Arrival Projects, we see the occupants of a space — residents, workers, visitors and others — as both consumers and creators of place.
Placebranding is a collaborative process that shapes public spaces to maximize shared value for all who might use them, highlighting the intimate connection between people and places, advocating for the creation of spaces that are not only functional but also emotionally and socially engaging.
Not Your Standard Destination Marketing
Unlike traditional destination marketing, which often reacts to trends, placebranding is a bottom-up, participatory approach that ensures the developed space resonates with the community's true character and aspirations.
Placebranding crafts a narrative around these places to market their unique stories, channeling them into a coherent strategy that highlights the place's strengths, history, and aspirations.
For instance, when New York City underwent a rebranding exercise, it leveraged its rich cultural tapestry and iconic landmarks to market itself as a global destination.
Similarly, the city of Austin embraced its diverse arts scene, vibrant downtown areas, and coffee culture, making these elements central to its branding efforts.
The “Paradores” group of hotels in Spain are housed in historic buildings across the country - estates, convents, wineries, etc. The chain underwent exercises to identify and give voice to the specific history and contexts that makes each space truly unique, and reframe that story into a narrative that would appeal to guests.
These successful placebranding examples show how a strong narrative can enhance a place's appeal, attracting tourists, investors and new residents.
Positive Economic and Social Implications
Effective placebranding has significant material implications for local economies. Successful placebranding improves quality of life for residents, attracts visitors, and lures investment while incentivizing companies and talent to relocate, ultimately driving economic growth.
The city of Barcelona underwent a radical transformation to prepare for the Olympic games, leveraging the historic context of the Mediterranean port city and its Art Nouveau-inspired architecture with a modernized transport system and optimized logistics to welcome generations of visitors and now an additional layer if international technology companies and other investment types long after the games ended.
However, branding must go beyond surface-level aesthetics. It should reflect the true identity of a place, avoiding the trap of replicating trends from other successful cities. The trend of cities mimicking the "Silicon Valley" brand is a prime example of how this can lead to homogenization, stripping cities of their unique stories and resulting in a watered-down destination brand.
Challenges of Placebranding
Placebranding in public spaces is inherently complex due to the diverse and often competing interests of various stakeholders. This is contrasted to the streamlined decision-making in private organizations, such as hotels, led by CEOs.
City sub-brands are challenging to adapt because they are often tied to larger national or international organizations with strict branding guidelines, overseen by political appointees, supported by strong lobbying interests, or dependent on grants, endowments, and federal financing that impose specific behavioral requirements.
Additionally, they may be part of broader cultural initiatives supporting a variety of different communities, which are sensitive to change, or controlled by long-standing systems dominated by specific individuals or boards, creating entrenched fiefdoms.
Likewise, a complicated brand architecture of a multi-brand hotel group, for example, may challenge a consistent brand narrative that resonates with potential guests.
There are some placebranding exercises, for example many of the new tourism projects in Saudi Arabia such as NEOM, The Line, and the Diriyah Gate that benefit from a central planning structure, but the majority of destinations are not able to benefit from such a streamlined approvals process.
Placebranding is a serious endeavor that requires expert thought, analysis, and strategy to execute on effectively.
Actions to Take
At Arrival Projects, we recognize that branding must begin from within, reflecting a place's true identity and fostering a culture that supports its ongoing narrative development.
There are a number of placebranding exercises you can do to get started:
How can we define the composition of the current stakeholder base of the place?
What are the political, educational, cultural, social history, and other influences that make the place what it is today?
What future trajectory does the place seem to be on?
What are the long-term aspirations of the place?
Who would we love to have learn more about our place and come visit, work and/or live here?
Which are the most important facets of the place to be represented through a story?
Arrival Projects brings years of expertise in placebranding work. Reach out to us today with any questions, ideas, or worries you have!