Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Phase fi ve of a destination brand strategy - management
Once strategized, a destination brand requires management and stewardship if it is to thrive
and grow. The long-term health of a destination brand depends on how well the DMO manages
fi ve things:
brand leadership and its stakeholders;
brand management;
brand communications;
experience management;
monitoring and evaluation.
Importantly, the brand strategy must be integrated into the strategic plans of the DMO and
should not be an 'add-on'. Most DMOs are publicly funded political organizations dealing with
many stakeholder groups such as government departments, industry associations, and retailers
(Pike 2004; Fyall and Garrod 2005). One of the hardest tasks in managing the brand is resolving
confl icts among competing interests groups as the brand must be owned across the destination
and everyone from town-planners and architects to retailers and transport companies must value
it (Fyall 2012). However, even when agencies recognize the value of stewarding a successful
brand, such a diverse group of actors and stakeholders are involved (with so many competing
priorities and resource demands) that bringing them together is a huge task. All of these actors
operate with very different values, goals and operating procedures; they may be suspicious of
each other and this often becomes a volatile combination (Dredge 2006). Moreover, whilst
ownership must be broad-based, decision-making must be focused. The more people and
groups involved in decision-making, the more confused the task becomes and the more blurred
the brand promise. Baker (2007) cites the examples of Pittsburgh, which had a branding
committee of 120 people, and Denver (170 civic and business leaders), as cases of bad practice.
Decision-making needs to be focused, involving a small group of leaders who understand
the emotional basis of branding and who can act as brand champions to wider communities
of interest.
A vital person in the management of any brand is a brand champion or brand steward. It is
his or her job to keep the brand development on track. Without a brand steward brand adoption
and application may be erratic (Allan 2012). This person must have the authority to bring things
back on course. Unlike brand leadership, brand management is tactical and short-term and
periodically brand managers have to re-energize partners, stakeholders and consumers. Brand
management is about extending the brand to the destination infrastructure, gateways, visitor
services, streetscapes and environments (Allan 2012; Vitellio and Willcocks 2012). It could
involve designing street furniture, banners, lighting and signage carrying the logo. At every
point of communication (in print, electronically or in person) the brand promise must be
conveyed and reinforced. Finally, since branding strategies perform three basic functions - to
persuade, change or reinforce brand values, and raise the brand's profi le - the brand steward must
undertake or commission evaluation to measure each. DMOs must monitor the following six
indicators to ensure the brand remains relevant and meaningful:
target audience demographics, behaviour and satisfaction;
the brand's visual identity and communications;
brand positioning and destination promise relevancy;
customer demand and behaviour;
