DESTINATION: BRAND
CRAFTING A BRAND'S ESSENCE AROUND A DESTINATION
Written By David Paleschuck, MBA, CLS | Author & Cannabis Brand Expert
A destination is a multi-faceted composite of products, services, and experiences unified in such a way that they create a unique, memorable experience. Why do we think of reggae and cannabis when we think of Jamaica? Or Champagne from the south of France? Why would a consumer product goods company brand itself with such complexity? Because a strong brand insulates itself from the threat of competition by reducing substitutability, and in a marketplace saturated with many [similar] destinations–and brands or products that represent those destinations–differentiation becomes a viable strategy.
What persuades tourists to visit one place over another is the emotional connection they feel towards the destination. A brand elicits emotions and feelings about a product. So too should a destination brand create the same desired emotional associations. Destination brands offer visitors an assurance of quality experiences, reduce costs, and establish a unique selling proposition. The most cited reasons for branding a destination include image, recognition, differentiation, consistency, messaging, emotional response, and managed expectations. Would Jamaica be just another Caribbean Island without Reggae? Is vanilla from Madagascar really better? Are South African diamonds clearer? Or is it all marketing and branding?
Marley Natural’s line of hemp-based products bringing a taste of the Jamaican cannabis lifestyle to consumers.
One challenge of destination branding is tying together all the different aspects of the location, especially if it is as large and diverse as an entire country. Obviously, certain facets of the destination will be promoted more heavily than others to certain target groups, but they should be able to be tied back to the destination’s brand. A brand identity needs to be translatable, because destinations have so many different stakeholders that must relate to it. A translatable brand also makes it conducive to sub-positioning and focused targeting. A brand should be both inspirational to create emotional attachment; and aspirational to appeal to consumers’ self-actualization needs.
A point of caution about how inspirational a brand should be, is that there is a trade-off between inspirational and credible brand promises. An inspirational offer is exciting, it appeals to a tourist’s aspirations and emotions. A credible offer is more familiar and believable. The more a brand is based around factual attributes, the less emotionally appealing it will be. However, a brand message that appeals to a tourist’s wildest dreams might set the consumer up for disappointment and the brand up for failure.
A LEGEND & A BRAND PROMISE
To combat this, some brands & marketers create their own destinations. Lola LolaTM created Lolalandia. According to legend, Lola Lola bestows good fortune upon all who enjoy the fruits of her flowers. By awakening the vitality of the sun and the purity of the soil, Lola Lola infuses the body with health, happiness and prosperity. Lola Lola is the essence of wonder, whimsy, and enchantment that permeates every blooming bud and beating heart in the universe.
Through creating a fantasy world, brands can alleviate many of the issues relative to balancing “functionality” and “credibility”. Of course, in order to be a successful brand and create customer loyalty, certain minimum requirements are necessary. The point is, a promise of “365 days a year of perfect weather” in Lolalandia is a lot more ‘tolerable’ than the same promise from a tourism board of an island state. Customers are more flexible, and their expectations are better managed when things are promised ‘tongue in cheek’ or far off in an imaginary land.
Lola Lola focuses on enchantment, romance, alchemy, higher state of consciousness, elegant, dreamy, fairytale like state of mind, aesthetic & ethos.
Destination Branding is identifying the destination’s strongest and most competitively appealing assets in the eyes of its prospective visitors and/or consumers, building a story that makes the destination stand out above its competitors, and running that narrative through all marketing communications.
“Consumers often don’t buy products, they buy the images associated with products.” - Keller.
If any destination and/or product intends to remain relevant, it needs to ensure that its offerings address the changing needs and wants on an ongoing basis. “Dialing into the emotions of nations and cultures you wish to reach is critical to branding success.”
“Destinations can be a country, a region, a city, and most certainly, a product. There is a need to encompass both rational and emotional beliefs. Many factors go into the creation of such beliefs.” A tourist’s or consumer’s perception of any country or product will be colored by his (her) own personal experience if they have been there before or bought the product before, by what other people say, and what the media has to say about that destination or product.
As a result, branding a destination or a product around a destination can be complex and multi-layered. More and more countries are marketing themselves aggressively in the global tourism market, making it harder for brands and associated products that do not update their image constantly, or counter any negative perceptions based on ignorance or fear.
The next time you decide to take a trip or purchase a product associated with a destination, stop for a moment and think: Why am I choosing this product, destination, or brand over another? What experience does it promise me? Will it live up to my expectations? Will I expand myself through this experience or product?
A happy traveler is a well-informed traveller.
Safe journeys.
