BRANDOPIA

Destination Denbies: England's Largest Vineyard

'Brand' the Marketect says:

"First attract with a single branded proposition, then distract with multiple products and experiences"

Singapore: A Work-in-Progress for a World-Class Brand

A creative conversation between Des and Tina, Brandopia's mythical brand developers

DES: Brand Singapore has recently moved its positioning from 'Uniquely Singapore' to 'Your Singapore'.
TINA: Sadly, in destination branding terms, adjectives such as 'Uniquely' and pronouns such as 'Your' have little or no brand value, they're merely perceived as either 'bragging' or 'sucking up'.

DES: The recent video 'ADjectiveLand' has clearly demonstrated the folly of using superlatives to position a destination brand.
TINA: The irony is that in real terms, Singapore is truly a world-class city-state and doesn't need to stoop to using meaningless slogans.

DES: Absolutely. Witness its above-average performance in infant mortality, life expectancy, literary rates, home ownership, economic growth, political stability and ethnic harmony.
TINA: It's time for Singapore to reflect its true world-class status and find a big brand idea to lead Asia and the rest of the world to a bright new future.

DES: OK Tina, let's talk about where we should start looking for this deserving city-state's big brand idea - but with a future-focus.
TINA: One area of promise is the cultural contradiction that as the world's only city-state with no countryside, Singapore is one of the greenest places in the world.

DES: With more biodiversity than the entire continental USA, the 'World's Garden' is a big brand idea with a green future. Validated by 2004 Nobel Prize winner Prof. Maathai who said: "When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of hope and peace."
TINA: Hold that thought for a moment as we move from the peace of the 'Garden' to the cauldron of the 'Kitchen', a cultural collision of mega proportions worth investigation and that is the West's fear of radical-Islamism from the East.

DES: Singapore provides living proof that different religions and cultures can co-exist. Witness churches close to mosques and Hindu temples next to Chinese temples.
TINA: As Asia's most multi-cultural city, Singapore has the credentials to bring East and West closer together through a multiple-culture of hope.

'Brand' the Marketect says:

"Only place pioneers enter the murky waters of cultural conflicts and clashes - because that's where the nuggets of big brand ideas are usually hidden."

Note: This post was inspired by Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Dean at the National University of Singapore.

New ADjectiveLand 2: Singapore Leaves Korea Joins

'Brand' the Marketect says:

"Placing an adjective or pronoun in front of your destination name does not a brand make"

Imaginacres: Home of the Nation of Innovation

'Brand' the Marketect says:

"A virtual cluster brand is one of the most powerful destination branding concepts available today. Could Imaginacres become the 'Silicon Valley of Innovation'?"

Brand Ireland: Seven ways to know if you're really Irish...

'Brand' the Marketect says:

"A country brand that punches above its weight thanks to its St Patrick's Day annual festival and its global diaspora"

The Googles: Britain's Best Street Brands 2010

'Brand' the Marketect says:

"Birds of a feather flock together - with a little help from a destination brand developer and their property developer friends"