Part 2 of a Q&A session, facilitated by Alan 'Brand' Williamson, Destination Brand Developer, on co-branding products and places, at Morpeth, Northumberland, England on 22nd February 2006.
Q: What about Northumberland's other strengths such as its fabulous coastline and its unspoilt landscapes?
Alan: This is where destination sub-brands should be brought into play. Instead of trying to make the county brand stand for everything and thus end up standing for nothing, let's see if we can concentrate on Northumberland's coastline and create a destination sub-brand but within a new exciting category.
BBC TV's Coast series described the Scottish Borders-Northumberland-North Yorkshire coastline as 'The Bleak, the Black, and the Beautiful', providing an opportunity to create a new category within the overall European Riviera category comprising the French Riviera, Italian Riviera, Spanish Costas, and the English Riviera located on England's south Devon coast.
By combining the Scottish Borders coastline representing the Celtic nations with the northeastern English coastline representing the Angles nation (from Angleland to Engaland to England), Northumberland can now create a new coastal category branded 'The British Riviera' - with its Castles-on-the-Sands as a potent symbol and image inspiring generations of sand sculptors, artists, poets, writers, photographers and film makers.
'Brand' the Marketect says:
"Take the perceived negative of the British coastal weather - wet'n'windy - and turn it into a powerful positive."
Footnote:
The image above is of Bamburgh Castle painted by local artist Alan Reed.
Please click here to read Part 3 - The English Regions - Compass Names or Culture Names
