Intellectual Asset Management January/February 2012 19 www.iam-magazine.

com
Geograhic lranding
Ciiies, regions and even couniries are
increasingly adoiing lrand siraiegies. 1his
ariicle considers vhy ihis irend is
occurring, vhai a lrand siraiegy neans Ior
geograhic localiiies and hov ihey can
successIully luild a lrand siraiegy.
As viih iradiiional roduci lrands, a
geograhic lrand is nore ihan a iradenark.
Ii enconasses ihe ideniiiy and esseniial
values oI ihe localiiy ihai diIIereniiaie ii
Iron oiher localiiies. Ii can serve io
sirengihen, Iocus or in sone cases nodiIy
erceiions oI ihai localiiy.
In ihis ariicle, ihe vord localiiy is
soneiines used as shorihand Ior any
geograhically deIined area viih a degree oI
oliiical selI-deierninaiion. 1he iern ihus
reIers io ciiies, siaies or oiher oliiical
suldivisions teg, rovinces or adninisiraiive
dearinenis), as vell as io couniries.
>\f^iXg_`ZYiXe[j
Localiiies are increasingly adoiing lranding
siraiegies Ior ihe Iolloving reasons:
Ciiies and regions Iace iniensiIied
coneiiiion in aiiraciing lusinesses,
iourisis, acadenics and siudenis, and in
qualiIying Ior ullic Iunding Ior
research and Ior inIrasiruciure.
In ihe coniexi oI greaier noliliiy, ihey
Localities, like all other public sector
bodies, face an increasingly
competitive and globalised
environment. A carefully designed
brand can help a locality to increase
its visibility and show off its
competitive advantages
By Jodie Cohen-Tanugi
nusi also aeal io iheir residenis.
Branding hels io encourage ullic
suori Ior local rojecis, luild a sense
oI connuniiy and ronoie urlan
reviialisaiion. Ii also serves elecioral
uroses.
1he concei oI ihe ciiizen has evolved
Iron ihai oI a leneIiciary oI ullic
services io ihai oI a ciiizen-consuner,
and ciiizens nov have ihe sane
execiaiions Iron ihe ullic secior as
ihey have iradiiionally had Iron ihe
rivaie secior.
Ve have noved Iron a suly aroach
io a denand aroach, viih ciiizens`
execiaiions ai ihe heari oI ihe
localiiy`s siraiegy.
In ihis coneiiiive nev environneni,
localiiies nusi diIIereniiaie ihenselves and
enhance iheir inage. 1he raid develoneni
oI nolile alicaiions and digiial services has
Iuriher increased ihe inceniive io underiake
ihis iye oI narkeiing, and ai ihe sane iine
has nagniIied ihe oieniial reiurns. Ii nay
ihus le necessary io reihink ihe inage and
verlal naniIesiaiions oI ihe lrand in order io
adai ihen io ihe digiial environneni. 1he
revards, hovever, can le sulsianiial.
Vhile ihe videsread use oI ihe
iniernei has creaied an ooriuniiy io
enhance ihe inaci oI lranding nessages, ii
has sinulianeously creaied a risk oI ihe
raid disseninaiion oI negaiive connenis
or inIornaiion. 1hese consequences oI ihe
digiial liIesiyle conIirn ihe inoriance Ior
localiiies oI nanaging iheir reuiaiion,
including ihrough lrand siraiegies.
1he localiiy nusi go ihrough a rocess
oI exanining iis ideniiiy and deIining iis
siraiegic oljeciive and values. Iis lrand
should enlody a vision Ior ihe Iuiure ihai
is cohereni viih ihe values and oljeciive. Ii
cannoi le a shoricui or sulsiiiuie Ior ihe
! SENSE OF PLACE
7||s a|t|c|e |s soonso|ed oy t|e /ntang|o|e
Asset F|nance Soc|ety's 7|adema||
Comm|ttee. 7|e oo|ect|ves of t|e Soc|ety
(www.|af|nance.o|gI a|e to |nc|ease t|e
v|s|o|||ty, t|ansoa|ency and va|0e of |ntang|o|e
assets t||o0g| ed0cat|on, advocacy and t|e
o|om0|gat|on of standa|ds. IAM magaz|ne |s
t|e med|a oa|tne| of t|e Soc|ety. /n eac|
|ss0e, IAM magaz|ne o0o||s|es a cont||o0t|on
f|om t|e Soc|ety on a notewo|t|y |ntang|o|e
asset f|nance matte|.
IAM_51 Paginated - 1 30/11/2011 16:47 Page 19
www.iam-magazine.com 20 Intellectual Asset Management January/February 2012
! SENSE OF PLACE
rocess oI deIining ihen.
JkiXk\^`ZfYa\Zk`m\Xe[XZk`fegcXe
1he Iirsi sie is io deiernine ihe siraiegic
oljeciive - vhich nighi, Ior exanle, le io
aiiraci nore lusinesses, io lring in nore
iourisis, io oIIer residenis a high qualiiy oI
liIe or io vin renovn Ior ihe qualiiy oI iis
universiiies and research.
Vhaiever ihe siraiegic oljeciive, ii
nusi le realisiic and convincing, and nusi
also le cohereni viih ihe allocaiion oI
resources, since ii is a conniineni io
deliver on a ronise.
1he lrand reresenis one cononeni oI
ihe aciion lan Ior achieving ihe siraiegic
oljeciive. In order io inleneni ihe lrand,
ihe localiiy nusi analyse iis ideniiiy and
deiernine vhai disiinguishes ii Iron oiher
laces. 1o ihis end, ihe localiiy should
ansver ihe Iolloving quesiions:
Vhai nakes us unique tvhai is our
localiiy knovn Ior)?
Vhai values do ve vish io enlody teg,
Faris nay le knovn as a ronaniic ciiy
or a cenire oI Iashion, lui nay vani io
shiIi iis inage io one oI econonic
viialiiy)? In narkeiing language, ihis
corresonds io ihe unique selling
roosiiion.
Vhai do ve vani io oIIer?
Hov is ihai oIIer linked io our hisiory
and curreni realiiy?
1he end roduci should le ihe resuli oI
colleciive inui involving noi only oliiical
aciors, lui also ciiizens, ullic enloyees
and econonic aciors. In carrying oui ihis
rocess, olicy nakers nay also seek ihe
oinions oI hisiorians and oiher secialisis.
9l`c[`e^XYiXe[
Once ihe localiiy has deiernined iis
ideniiiy and values, and ihe oIIer ihai ii
vishes io convey, ii can design a lrand ihai
iranslaies ihis ideniiiy in a recognisalle
vay, enlodied in a logo, a signaiure and a
grahic charier ihai vill aly io all visual
exressions oI ihe lrand.
1he lranding rocess is diIIereni Iron
ihe iyes oI connunicaiion ihai localiiies
have iradiiionally enloyed. Vhile a
connunicaiion canaign has a seciIic
oljeciive, iargeis a seciIic audience and
lasis Ior a liniied iine only, ihe lrand
should le erennial.
Region Brand Slogan
Bretagne Bretagne Bretagne, an area that creates connections, transforms and strengthens
(dynamic, modern image)
Auvergne Auvergne Nouveau Auvergne Your New World (quality of life)
Monde
Nord-Pas de Calais Nord-Pas de Calais The valley of creation (creativity and high-quality support)
La Crativalle
Languedoc-Roussillon Sud de France ,A DESTINATION DE TOUS LES POSSIBLES
Languedoc-Roussillon (The destination where everything is possible) (tourism orientation)
Table 1. To be effective, a regions brand must convey a promise or unique selling proposition
4HE BRANDING PROCESS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE TYPES OF
COMMUNICATION THAT LOCALITIES HAVE TRADITIONALLY EMPLOYED
7HILE A COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN HAS A SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE
TARGETS A SPECIFIC AUDIENCE AND LASTS FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY
THE BRAND SHOULD BE PERENNIAL
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Intellectual Asset Management January/February 2012 21 www.iam-magazine.com
! SENSE OF PLACE
A geograhic region has nany diIIereni
siakeholders: agriculiural, iourisiic, urlan,
indusirial, iechnological and acadenic, io
nane a Iev. 1hese siakeholders nay vish io
rojeci diverse inages. Furiher, sone nay
already le vell knovn and nay have iheir
ovn lrands. 1he regional lrand should le
cohereni viih ihese sul-lrands. For
exanle, a vell-knovn universiiy ciiy vill
le reluciani io adhere io a lroader regional
lrand iI ii lelieves ihai ihe regional lrand
vill diluie or veaken iis ovn lrand.
Accordingly, iI a localiiy vishes io
sirengihen iis aiiraciiveness io all
audiences, ii nusi consiruci a cohereni,
uniIied ideniiiy Ior all oI iis aciiviiies. II, on
ihe oiher hand, ihe localiiy has a seciIic
oljeciive teg, io aiiraci econonic
invesineni), ihe lrand should le Iocused.
Finally, ihe localiiy should drav u a
narkeiing lan. 1his vill ideniiIy ihe iargei
audience and deIine hov ihe lrand is io le
naniIesied viih regard io all oI ihe localiiy`s
aciiviiies, in order io ensure ihe coherence
ihai is necessary Ior ihe lrand io le eIIeciive.
<oXdgc\j
In sring :o++, Auvergne, a region in ceniral
France, iniroduced a nark and logo,
8lm\i^e\Eflm\XlDfe[\ tAuvergne Your
Nev Vorld), iniended io uniie a lroad
lase oI siakeholders viih a rinary Iocus
on qualiiy oI liIe. Najor local aciors Iron
various seciors - including indusiry,
acadenia and iourisn - Iound ihe nark
ersuasive and arinered viih ihe region
Iron ihe ouisei. Alihough ihe nark is very
receni, surveys already shov a osiiive
eIIeci on ihe inage oI ihe region, on
iourisn and on denograhic evoluiion.
1he region oI Briiiany vas ihe Iirsi io
adoi a regional lrand. Ii chose a uniIying
lrand viih a shared logo ihai siakeholders
across ihe rivaie and ullic seciors could all
use, including lusinesses, iourisi aiiraciions,
culiural insiiiuiions, universiiies and soris
ieans. 1he lrand ained io convey a younger,
nore dynanic inage and io enhance ihe
region`s iniernaiional visililiiy. 1he lrand`s
osiiioning siaieneni is Breiagne, an area
ihai creaies conneciions, iransIorns and
sirengihens, and ihe grahics oI ihe logo are
iniended io convey ihis nessage
tvvv.narque-lreiagne.Ir).
Oiher regions have chosen lrands ihai
ronoie a seciIic olicy choice. For
exanle, Nord-Fas de Calais launched ihe
nark :iXk`mXcc\ io connoie a ool oI
creaiiviiy and enirereneurshi, viih high-
qualiiy Iaciliiaiing insiiiuiions io suori
enirereneurs. In ihe souih oI France, ihe
Languedoc-Roussillon region has chosen io
Iocus on iis disiinciive neriis as a iravel
desiinaiion.
>\f^iXg_`ZXc`e[`ZXk`fej
k_\=i\eZ_df[\c
Geograhical indicaiions, also knovn as
A few examples of registered public sector marks
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www.iam-magazine.com 22 Intellectual Asset Management January/February 2012
! SENSE OF PLACE
aellaiions, are lalels and signs ideniiIying
goods ihai ossess unique qualiiies
seciIically linked io iheir geograhic origin.
1he concei oI aellaiions vas develoed in
France viih reseci io vine roduciion nore
ihan a ceniury ago, lui ihe nosi inoriani
nilesione vas ihe creaiion in +__ oI ihe
@ejk`klkeXk`feXc[\cfi`^`e\\k[\cXhlXc`k
tvhich coniinues io use ihe vell-knovn
acronyn Iron iis original nane, INAO, Ior
@ejk`klkeXk`feXc[\jXgg\ccXk`fej[fi`^`e\.
1his agency adninisiers aellaiions in
France. Geograhical indicaiions aly noi
only io vines, lui also io nany oiher
roducis, such as cheeses, olive oil and even
oiaioes.
A geograhical indicaiion is a lrand ihai
iakes ihe Iorn oI a lalel. Ii incororaies a sei
oI nandaiory seciIicaiions draIied ly
roIessionals and validaied ly ihe INAO.
1hese cover a nuliiliciiy oI characierisiics,
such as hysical criieria seciIic io ihe
geograhical area, ihe origin and
characierisiics oI ihe cononenis, ihe
locaiion and rocess oI iransIornaiion and
even lalelling requirenenis. An organisaiion
oI roducers tand/or rocessors and/or
iniernediaries) is resonsille Ior deIining,
noniioring and enIorcing ihese
seciIicaiions and inieraciing viih ihe INAO.
1he INAO oversees ihe sysien and ihe
inseciion lodies.
Geograhical indicaiions lay an
inoriani econonic role, roieciing
consuners and heling roducers. By
guaranieeing ihe origin and characierisiics oI
a roduci, ihey rovide consuners viih
assurances as io ihe qualiiy oI ihe roduci
ihey are choosing and jusiiIy ihe rice ly ihe
auiheniiciiy oI ihe roduci. As a
diIIereniiaiion siraiegy, ihey hel roducers
and oiher econonic aciors io nainiain high
levels oI qualiiy and oliain higher rices in
reiurn. 1hey creaie added value Ior roducers
and inrove disiriluiion oI ihe added value
over ihe vhole roduciion chain. In addiiion,
ihey enhance ihe reuiaiion and lrand oI ihe
eniire localiiy. 1hey Iosier rural and regional
develoneni ly:
Freserving jols and viialiiy ly lringing
econonic aciors iogeiher around
connon rojecis.
Freserving local knov-hov.
Develoing iourisn teg, vine iours).
Freserving ihe landscae and naiural
resources.
As a resuli oI ihis sirong diIIereniiaiing
Iacior viih osiiive erceived value, snall,
individual econonic aciors can leneIii Iron a
colleciive ideniiiy ihai gives ihen sulsianiial
over on ihe iniernaiional narkei.
By vay oI exanle, in :oo vines
roiecied ly geograhical indicaiions
reresenied _' oI vineyard acreage, lui
nore ihan So' oI ihe value. In :ooS,
roiecied olive oil reresenied :S' oI
roduciion in ierns oI ionnage and _' oI
ioial iurnover. 1he rices oI roiecied cheeses
are _S' higher ihan ihose oI oiher cheeses,
and ,o' oI ihese cheeses are roduced in
nouniainous regions, vhich have greaier
unenloyneni and econonic vulneraliliiy.
K_\Y`^^\ig`Zkli\
1he alove discussion reIlecis ihe dynanisn
oI nany localiiies ihai have chosen io use
narkeiing iools io achieve iheir siraiegic
oljeciives and inleneni iheir vision Ior
ihe Iuiure. Beyond enhancing geograhic
aiiraciiveness, lrand luilding has an
increasingly inoriani role io lay in ullic
secior nanageneni, as ii can also serve io
inrove user saiisIaciion and loyaliy, as
vell as enloyee norale, loih Ior localiiies
and nore generally Ior ullic eniiiies and
services.
Jodie Cohen-Tanugi is a project manager
with the Agency for Public Intangibles of
France. This Agency came into existence
four years ago, when the French
government realised the enormous growth
potential of intangible assets created or
collected by the public sector.
The Agency is part of the Ministry of
Finance, but serves all public sector bodies,
from ministries to public universities and
museums, as well as localities. Its mandate
is to develop value from public sector
intangibles and optimise their impact on the
economy as a whole. The staff combines
legal, marketing and accounting expertise
with deep knowledge of both the private and
public sectors. The Agency operates at the
intersection of the private and public
sectors, and can thus provide practical
solutions to officials responsible for
managing public sector intangibles.
WWWAPIEFRANCEFR
Action plan
Cities, regions, even countries are
increasingly looking to build brands. There
are several reasons for this:
Greater competition when looking to
attract businesses, tourists, academics
and students, and in qualifying for public
funding for research and for
infrastructure.
To encourage public support for local
projects, build a sense of community
and promote urban revitalisation.
To align with the new concept of the
citizen as a consumer with the same
expectations from the public sector as
from the private sector.
To put a brand strategy into place, it is
important to ask:
What makes us unique?
What values do we wish to embody?
What do we want to offer?
How is that offer linked to our history
and current reality?
!
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