DUCTION As you read in Chapter 1, practically every organization markets something, including cities, provinces, regions, and even countries. When such entities use marketing to attract tourists, to encourage economic development, and/or to retain its population, this is often referred to as place marketing. And as you have seen in Chapter 11, an important aspect of marketing for many organizations is the use of branding. The idea that physical places can be branded is, in fact, a natural extension of brand theory. Most marketers believe that places, as defined by culture, politics, and geography, can be viewed as products and can be subject to the same brand management practices used for a cup of coffee or a car. This has created an entire new field of marketing called place branding. However, the branding of places can have some unique challenges, which go far beyond developing a simple product marketing campaign, a new logo, or a catchy slogan. In other words, place-as-product is a little more complicated when it comes to the design and implementation of a brand strategy. These complications include the role of government organizations in the process, the difficulty in defining the entity to be branded (city, region, or country), the challenges of aligning internal stakeholders (residents, business owners, frontline workers), and the difficulty of sustaining brand consistency and resources over time in the face of competing societal, as opposed to corporate, interests. This was the challenge facing the Province of Manitoba when it decided to "brand Manitoba." WHY BRAND MANITOBA? The notion of branding the Province of Manitoba came to life through the Premier's Economic Advisory Council (PEAC). The Manitoba government believed that the province needed a fresh, new image; needed to raise its profile; and needed to tell the world that Manitoba was an exceptional place to live, work, visit, and invest in. The government wanted to attract and retain the best and brightest people to assist in the growth of new and existing business investment, to attract new businesses to locate in Manitoba, to better market the province as a tourism destination, and to instill in its citizens a greater sense of pride. To do so, the government believed the province needed a strong and relevant brand. PEAC, consisting entirely of volunteers and representing a diverse cross-section of leaders and provincial boosters, was the group responsible for coordinating this important branding effort. Its members were to work to ensure that the new Manitoba brand would accurately and truthfully reflect the essence of the province. Through the process of creating and implementing Manitoba's new brand, PEAC consulted with Manitobans from all walks of life, from established and successful business owners to young people starting down the road of education. Manitobans shared their thoughts about the province, the things they loved, the good things they wanted other people to know, and their ideas on how to spread the word. It was believed that the benefits of this new branding effort would be available to all businesses, labour, community organizations, and government agencies involved in promoting the province. RESEARCH AND BRAND CONCLUSIONS The government of Manitoba and its branding consultancy firm, Interbrand, embarked on an extensive research program in order to help shape its branding decisions. The research process was inclusive of the highest levels of government and involved other important stakeholders, including business owners and residents. Extensive secondary and primary research, including depth interviews, focus groups, and surveys, was undertaken. The research revealed, among other things, that Manitoba was largely unbranded, that it was not clearly identified within a competitive set, and that it did not consistently and properly identify its own competitive set. There was a lack of awareness of brand attributes possessed by Manitoba, and Manitobans' own self-deprecation was reinforcing the existing negative perceptions and stereotypes of Manitoba. The government and its branding agency wanted and needed to change this situation. The goal was to develop a branding strategy that would embody the "have" province qualities with something more special and unique to Manitoba that captured the essence of the province. In particular, they wanted to project an entrepreneurial spirit and a bold brand that was different than its competitors. BRAND MANITOBASPIRITED ENERGY After a two-year development process, the Province of Manitoba launched its new "Spirited Energy" brand in 2006. It settled on Spirited Energy because it was believed that it best represented Manitoba's rich history of diverse cultures, varied climate, and northern location. These attributes, in turn, instilled a unique energy that radiated from the hearts and minds of the people of Manitoba. It was also believed that Spirited Energy reflected the fact that the province was the birthplace of many successful artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs who compete on the world stage, and that it conveyed the fact that the province had the natural resources to fuel its economy. In short, it was believed that Manitoba held a wellspring of energy. According to the government and its branding agency, the Spirited Energy brand represented "the mobilizing force and enterprising spirit of Manitoba." It was also believed that Spirited Energy would resonate with the key audiences that were the focus of the branding effort. These audiences were residents, businesses, and tourists. For residents, it was believed Spirited Energy would inspire and captivate youth (18- to 25-year-olds), showing that Manitoba was a vibrant place where an individual could shape his/her destiny and create a definition of success. For the rest of the general public, it was believed that Spirited Energy would be felt and shared and would instill a sense of pride. For the business community, it was believed that Spirited Energy would be a platform to propel the enterprising spirit of Manitoba businesses and attract new businesses to the province. Finally, for tourists the Spirited Energy branding initiative would demonstrate the diversity in people, culture, arts, nature, and physical beauty found in Manitoba, and these attributes created a unique source of energy that would draw the tourist to Manitoba and inspire them to return again. THE BRANDING ROLLOUT The Spirited Energy branding initiative had three basic objectives: (1) introduce Manitobans to the new place brand, (2) build enthusiasm for the brand, and (3) promote adoption of the brand at all levels. A number of communication tools would be used to support the branding initiative, including television, radio, print, and outdoor media. A public relations program including gala events and promotional videos would also be used. There would also be a dedicated Web site (www.spiritedenergy.ca) for the initiative. Corporate partnerships would also be part of the branding rollout, and a Manitoba Street Teamteams of youth that would visit communities and participate in local eventswas also part of the strategy. HOWEVER, SOME CONTROVERSY! Research indicated that Manitobans supported the branding efforts if it resulted in attracting more tourists and businesses to the province. However, it seems that not everyone bought into the Spirited Energy branding initiative. Many people wanted to know the details of the program and how the money was spent on the branding campaign. And some political leaders even pointed to focus group results that showed the proposed Spirited Energy branding concept met with at best a lukewarm response and at worst a somewhat negative response from focus groups. Asked if the branding initiative was working, Trade Minister Jim Rondeau said that it was too early to tell. He added, "If we have Manitobans starting to look at the province and seeing their natural attributes and qualities of life, that'll work." Furthermore, he suggested, "What we've had is less people leaving Manitoba now than we did in the 1990s. We have more economic activity now. Can that be attributable? Well, over time we can tell." But one thing is sure: branding strategies, particularly place branding strategies, cannot be driven by short-term, narrow-scope thinking. Moreover, simple marketing campaigns through traditional media channels are not sufficient to build a sustainable place brand. Place branding is not just a name, logo, ad, or sales strategy. It requires a comprehensive, proactive set of strategic and tactical initiatives involving multiple layers of stakeholders and multiple channels of communication in order to connect with and influence the attitudes and behaviour of the intended target audiences. Was Spirited Energy the right brand promise for the province? Was it executed successfully? QUESTIONS 1 Why is place branding important? Why is it so difficult to accomplish? 2 Given the controversy over the effectiveness of the 'Spirited Energy' brand concept, provide a new branding concept that might be more effective for the Province of Manitoba. Here is information on Manitoba: https://www.travelmanitoba.com/. On page 277-279 of the textbook is how to create brand equity. Outline how you would create brand equity for your branding concept: (a) What would you change 'Spirited Energy' to? (branding concept = new name) (b) How would you create positive brand awareness? (Identity = who are you?) (c) How would you create brand meaning? (Meaning = what are you?) (d) How would you create positive consumer judgments? (Response = What about you?) (e) How would you create a loyal relationship with the customer? (Relationships = What about me and you?)