A creative conversation between Des and Tina, Brandopia's mythical brand developers
DES: Awarding England's first super-casino to the fine city of Manchester instead of Blackpool was a recommendation made in place branding hell.
TINA: The subsequent political decision to review the award has put everything in brand development limbo.
DES: 'Doing the right thing' rather than 'doing things right' has avoided a destination blunder of major proportions.
TINA: It would have been on par with the award of the National Centre for Popular Music - now sadly defunct - to the home of the Arctic Monkeys - Sheffield - rather than to Liverpool - home of the Beatles and the Mersey sound which inspired and influenced the global Britpop phenomenon.
DES: Despite some vociferous local opposition to the super-casino, Blackpool has the authenticity as England's first resort to focus on the night-time economy when it converted its street lighting from gaslight to the then new energy source - electricity - in 1879.
TINA: As England's first 'Electric City', Blackpool then went on to introduce the country's first electric tramway system in 1885 followed by the launch of its annual 'Festival of Light' - popularly known as The Illuminations - in 1921.
DES: Blackpool's narrow focus differentiated itself from all its resort rivals - local and national - and catapulted itself to the top of the European resort league table - not just for a few short years - but for nigh on 100 years.
TINA: The power of a narrow focus in action.
DES: The big brand question today is: What should Blackpool do to re-generate itself for the next 100 years?
TINA: With or without the super-casino, this electrifying resort needs to stay focused on its turning-night-into-day strategy, but this time round, it should tap into the new eco-friendly power sources.
DES: From photo-voltaic cellular technology to wind, wave and bio-mass-generated electric power.
TINA: Welcome to the new 21st Century Blackpool: Europe's First EcotriCity 2010.
'Brand' the Marketect says:
"When you're saddled with a negative name such as Black-Pool - and it's too politically sensitive to change it, find a big brand idea that's opposite of your name's negativity, even if it means doing things differently to your competition - such as focusing on the night when every other resort is focused on the day. But get ready for some local flak: You're not seriously asking us to focus on the night when everyone knows that a visit to a beach resort is a daytime activity."
Footnote:
For the Forbes List of the World's Super-Swanky Casinos, please click here.
