How to create a successful place brand - with Tanisha Raffiuddin & Dr Giannina Warren
In today’s globalised world, cities, regions, and even neighbourhoods are competing for attention, investment, and talent. Place branding has emerged as a powerful tool to shape perceptions, attract visitors, and foster community pride. But what exactly is place branding, and how can you create a successful place brand?
This blog delves into the essential elements of place branding, drawing insights from a conversation between place branding expert Dr Giannina Warren and Concept Culture’s Creative Director Tanisha Raffiuddin on the Talking Place podcast. Read on for strategic advice to help you build a compelling place brand.
What is place branding?
“Place branding is not just about selling products and widgets and making money. It is about making places better and making a positive impact on society.”
Place branding goes beyond traditional marketing and promotion. It is about creating a cohesive identity for a place that resonates with its target audiences, including residents, tourists, investors, and businesses.
Unlike place promotion, which focuses on selling a destination, or place marketing, which balances supply and demand, place branding is about embedding a promotional mindset into the very fabric of a place’s policies, planning, and development.
“You need people who have a place branding mindset to be sitting at that policy and planning table who can help places, whether those are private sector built environment places or whether they’re actually full towns and cities, actually thinking through what the experience of this place is gonna be and what is the reputation and the perception that we’re trying to build.”
This approach ensures that the place is not only attractive but also functional, inclusive, and sustainable.
Why is place branding important?
In today’s competitive global landscape, cities and regions must differentiate themselves to attract businesses, investors, and skilled professionals. A strong place brand positions a location as a hub for innovation, culture, or sustainability, making it more appealing to those seeking opportunities.
Beyond economic benefits, place branding plays a crucial role in fostering community pride. A well-crafted identity helps residents feel a sense of belonging, encouraging them to engage with and contribute to their community’s growth.
Reputation is another key factor - how a place is perceived both locally and internationally can influence its success. Effective place branding can challenge negative stereotypes and highlight unique strengths, ensuring a location is seen in the best possible light.
Ultimately, place branding drives economic growth by attracting tourists, businesses, and events, boosting local economies, and creating jobs. By shaping perceptions and fostering engagement, it becomes a powerful tool for building a thriving and resilient community.
Key steps to create a successful place brand
Understand current perceptions
Before you can create a place brand, you need to understand how your place is currently perceived. Conduct market research to gather insights from residents, visitors, and other stakeholders. What do people love about your place? What are the challenges or misconceptions?
Engage the community
Place branding is not a top-down process. It requires deep stakeholder engagement to ensure that the brand reflects the values, aspirations, and needs of the community. As Giannina emphasises, “This does not happen without immense stakeholder involvement and engagement.” Host workshops, surveys, and focus groups to involve residents, businesses, and local organisations in the branding process.
Define your target audiences
A place brand cannot be all things to all people. Identify your key audiences, whether they are tourists, investors, or residents, and tailor your messaging to meet their needs. For example, a city targeting digital nomads might emphasise coworking spaces, affordable living, and a vibrant cultural scene.
Capture the essence of your place
What makes your place unique? Is it the history, culture, architecture, or natural beauty? Develop a brand identity that captures the essence of your place and communicates it consistently across all platforms. This could include a logo, tagline, visual identity, and storytelling framework.
Create a narrative and tell stories
Storytelling is at the heart of place branding. Share authentic stories that highlight the people, traditions, and experiences that make your place special. For example, Brand Tasmania’s place brand includes a book for new mothers called I Am Tasmanian, which instils a sense of pride and identity from an early age.
Implement and measure
Place branding is an ongoing process. Launch campaigns, events, and initiatives that bring your brand to life, and continuously measure their impact. Use metrics like visitor numbers, investment levels, and resident satisfaction to assess success and make adjustments as needed.
The role of sustainability and inclusion in place branding
As Giannina highlights, the future of place branding lies in addressing wicked problems like climate change, social equity, and accessibility.
A successful place brand must:
Embed sustainability: Incorporate sustainable practices into urban planning and communicate these efforts to stakeholders. For example, cities like Copenhagen are branding themselves as leaders in green innovation.
Promote inclusion: Ensure that your place brand reflects the diversity of your community and addresses the needs of marginalised groups. This includes making public spaces accessible and creating inclusive narratives.
Amplify indigenous voices: In regions with indigenous populations, place branding should honour and integrate Indigenous culture and history. For example, Destination Canada has successfully incorporated indigenous storytelling into its campaigns.
The future of place branding
The field of place branding is evolving rapidly, driven by trends like digital transformation, climate action, and globalisation.
“Every small village to medium-size or big town is all of a sudden going to have to think about this.”
Emerging technologies like AI and data analytics will play a key role in shaping place brands, enabling more personalised and impactful campaigns.
Creating a successful place brand is a complex, ongoing but rewarding process. It requires a deep understanding of your place, meaningful engagement with stakeholders, and a commitment to sustainability and inclusion. By following the steps outlined in this guide and learning from successful examples, you can build a place brand that not only attracts visitors and investment but also creates community pride and resilience.
Whether you are branding a bustling city or a quiet village, the principles of place branding can help you create a place that people are proud to call home.
Want to dive deeper into the conversation?
Tune in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube to hear Tanisha Raffiuddin and Dr Giannina Warren discuss the power of place branding and its impact.
Stay connected with us on Talking Place’s Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Bluesky, and TikTok for updates on upcoming episodes, where Tanisha talks with experts across the built environment. From placemaking and branding to sustainability, finance, health, culture, and more, each episode shares valuable insights and practical advice to help inspire your place-based projects and initiatives.
‘Talk’ soon!