PLACE BRANDING

There are six steps to getting this kind of project right.

1. Run a structured and transparent process with clear milestones.
   Every organisation embarking on this kind of project faces issues and challenges. So agreeing and running a transparent process is vital. This should start with a planning session where relevant stakeholders, including those who are expected to have negative view, are invited to join the client project team. This should be a forum run by an external facilitator that allows discussion of project issues and challenges within sensible parameters. Crucially, this session should also agree project rules and identify project milestones where consensus will have to be reached by the stakeholder group before moving on.
   
   We always recommend this kind of planning meeting with the core project team, and where appropriate, the broader stakeholder group. We facilitated such a planning meeting for the Taranaki brand project with 60 stakeholders from four councils, iwi, the business community, the sports and education sectors, media and a range of community groups. This 'hot potato' of a project consequently got off to a very positive start. We've also run similar processes with large and diverse groups for clients including Child Youth & Family, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Justice (Youth) and Victoria University.
2. Gain a clear view of what the competition is doing.
   You'd be surprised how useful it is to stop and analyse what the competition is and (crucially) isn't doing. This is especially so in the local government sector where most brands are pretty basic and offer little differentiation. In 'the trade' we call these vanilla brands, i.e. they all look the same, they say the same kind of things, they offer no true point of difference, and they are often badly designed. And as simple as it sounds, sometimes it's important just to get your stakeholders to understand you actually have competition.
   
   Competitor analysis undertaken on the Taranaki and Puke Ariki brand projects was important in helping stakeholders (who initially held quite divergent views) agree on the challenges and priorities that subsequently fed in to the brand strategy. By clearly identifying gaps in the market with regards to messaging, what the brand should sell and how best to connect with key audiences the group was able to agree on exactly what was needed. It also informed how we would view 'success' for the project.
3. Undertake stakeholder facilitation that delivers council and community buy-in.
   Any project like this will generate a wide range of viewpoints (many of them negative from the word go) and there will be people who see themselves as 'stakeholders' that you are not obliged to include in the process. However, having a cross-section of these people 'inside the tent' is always the best option if you can control the process and ensure a positive outcome.
   
   If you do engage in broader stakeholder consultation the project's success will stand or fall on how this is managed. To work it must be structured, inclusive and above all get the group on the same page. Providing some introductory Brand 101 education (emphasising its potential to help foster business and cultural growth) is often useful, while running a well facilitated process is vital. Through this the invited stakeholders should participate in reviewing competitor analysis, defining target audiences and determining how the brand (and what you want it to achieve) should be defined.
   
   Running this process, signing off the resulting Brand Strategy, and presenting creative concepts for approval can call for several workshops and meetings. But this will ensure buy-in and a sense of ownership critical to the brand's success.
   
   We've been involved with many projects where clients were initially sceptical that the stakeholder group would be able to reach any agreement. In some cases these groups have included upwards of 60-70 people. However, by following DNA's proven process we've always helped these groups reach positive outcomes. This is not rocket science - rather it's a combination of sound process and robust facilitation that allows stakeholders to have their say within agreed parameters, while ensuring a productive outcome is achieved. Aside from Taranaki, we've completed these exercises with a wide range of clients including Puke Ariki, Child Youth and Family, UNICEF, the steering group for Hui Taumata and the Hokotehi Moriori Trust Board.
4. Develop a robust brand strategy that identifies exactly what you should promote.
   The process to this point will have delivered the thinking that can be used to document a clear brand strategy. This will provide the creative brief for developing the brand and the criteria for assessing it. Process is again key, for once the stakeholder group signs off the brand strategy it becomes possible to overcome the subjective responses some people have to creative work. For example when the typical 'I don't like red' comments come up, the agreements made about process at the planning stage can be revisited - and the call made for all feedback to be provided in context of the brand strategy.
   
   Regardless of whether we are branding the BNZ, Epic Beer, Trilogy Skincare, a place/community like Taranaki, or an institution like Puke Ariki, the signed off brand strategy always becomes bedrock for the project. Once approved it provides clear, non negotiable brand definition and direction. As long as a consultative process has been followed most or all relevant influencers will have approved this thinking, or have agreed to a majority decision.
5. Create a flexible and compelling brand based on the approved strategy.
   Any effective brand identity needs to be a mixture of magic and pragmatism. On one hand it must bring the brand strategy to life in a creative way that has high impact and captures the imagination of its audiences - the magic. But it also needs to allow for flexible, practical and cost effective application - the pragmatic bit. Following these simple, golden rules will always deliver an outcome that works.
   
   Simple things such as the number of colours selected for a brand or an innovative approach to working with a limited (or non-existent) brand imagery budget can make a real difference to brand application costs. Likewise, when developing concepts it is important to test application across a selection of in-situ formats. These considerations must always be taken into account regardless of the scale of the project.
6. Plan for effective roll-out and application.
   Brand projects can come unstuck when planning for launch and roll-out isn't undertaken early enough. Likewise, it's easy to focus on the brand development phase and not pay enough consideration to the budget that will be required to re-design all necessary formats. It might sound obvious, but it happens.
   
   It's not always possible to precisely cost the roll-out and application of a new brand until concept work has been undertaken. Likewise, the new brand strategy might call for significant and as yet un-scoped changes to how the brand is brought to life, i.e. a different approach to stakeholder engagement, the online channel, advertising or partner endorsement etc. However, even where this is the case, work can be undertaken to scope out ballpark budgets so you are not left with a great new business card and no budget for applying the brand. We’ve rolled out regional work for many organisations, and also managed strategies for launching and delivering national brands and campaigns, for the likes of Child Youth & Family, ACC, St John, BNZ, Firestone and many more.

The Broader DNA Team

DNA has 50 specialist staff working from offices in Auckland and Wellington. Meet some of the team on our Place-branding people page: