A creative conversation between Des and Tina, Brandopia's mythical brand developers
DES: Last week's announcement that Nottingham, in Middle England, was ditching its legendary icon - Robin Hood - for a big fat capital letter - N - was greeted with much mirth and merriment around the exhibition stands at the British Travel Trade Fair.
TINA: It seems that this famous destination brand has decided to go from being known for something, to being known for an N-for-Nothing!
DES: At a cost of £120K for a single letter - even a capital one at that - seems alot for a brand identity that means Nowt... is going Nowhere... and stands for Nobody.
TINA: I guess the incumbent Sheriff of Nottingham is keen to continue in the tradition of his infamous ancestor, and fleece the poor tax-paying citizens of this legendary location.
DES: There must an epidemic of Initialitis flying around in this region these days, because in a land not so far away, the 'b-in-Birmingham' went missing from everybody's alphabet soup which sent them scurrying off to the city's northern rival - Manchester.
TINA: It seems the only cure for this alpha contagion is a good dose of marketecture.
DES: OK Tina, what's your brand recipe for the citizens of this soon-to-be-anonymous city?
TINA: Well, I would first recommend an early retirement for the fourteenth letter of the alphabet.
DES: And for the perpetrators of the dark, dastardly deed? A spell in the stocks?
TINA: Not really. I think we should all be allowed a few mistakes from time to time. But to ensure the lesson's been learned, I would sentence them to a month of Sundays for English longbow target practice, shooting straight and true at the big N, nailed firmly to Sherwood Forest's mightiest oak.
DES: But would you grant a reprieve for the band of merrie men and women?
TINA: Absolutely, but with some important new conditions. When Robin 'robbed-the-rich-to-feed-the-poor' he quickly became the 'Great Equaliser'.
DES: In other words, he gained a reputation for reducing the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots'.
TINA: You see, the men and women of the Forest were in fact the world's first and most famous 'Equal Rights & Opportunities Commission'.
DES: One of today's great global social contradictions.
TINA: Nottingham, therefore, has the social credentials to position itself as the champion of the 'equality' movement - around the world.
DES: An opportunity to not only attract the equality industry - lawyers, lobbyists, and campaigners - but also individuals and corporations, who wish to be associated with its positive reputation, and thus accelerate the generation of exports, inward investments and business tourism.
TINA: A fully-integrated, global destination brand in the making.
DES: But what one, single act should Nottingham implement as a proclamation of its arrival on the global stage?
TINA: It should take a leaf from Stockholm's annual Nobel prize playbook, and launch a fully-sponsored Robin Hood and Maid Marian award scheme, for men and women who have done great work within the equal rights and opportunities movement.
DES: Sorry Robin, but your early retirement with Lady Marian was slightly premature. There's still more work to be done for the good citizens of Nottingham - and around the world.
'Brand' the Marketect says:
" Living in your past - no matter how glorious - is like trying to drive a car by just looking in your rear view mirror. But ignoring your past, is like trying to sell your car with no ownership log book or service history. You need to invest your past by designing and creating a fabulous future - a future that's focused on your primary asset."
