It was the Monty Python crew that encouraged us to
“always look on the bright side of life” and, in keeping with that thought, a
clever group of people have created an alternative marketing campaign for
Canada. Calling themselves “nature ambassadors”, they have created the Canadian
Tourism Federation and launched a campaign to attract people to a warmer Canada.
Their low cost but effective video is worth a view:
While I am sure my former colleagues at the CTC might be horrified, I say "well done!" It’s another effective wake up call that
should speak to the tourism community on a number of levels.
Their campaign confirms the following points that I
make in my presentations:
a. the DMO does not control the brand as much as it might think;
b. using today’s cheaply available tools, anyone
and everyone can be a destination marketer and have influence; and
c. Reputation matters more than marketing.
Right now Canada’s international reputation as a
responsible, caring member of the tourism community is in rapid decline. Leaders like Lester Pearson are probably turning in their graves. In this post on the blog of The Icarus Foundation, we show Canada slipping to bottom of the carbon reduction league
tables within the G8; over on the Agents of Change blog, there’s an excellent
interview by pollster Allan Gregg with Sir Nicholas Stern. After spending 20
minutes providing a highly lucid description of the core issues, Stern
concludes with a diplomatic but firm assessment of the perils facing Canada if
this country’s political leaders do not shift their position.
Any country that dares to claim it is green and
clean or sustainable is now vulnerable to exposure by consumers, NGOs and
enforcement agencies determined to “get to the truth”. Declaring yourself
sustainable – simply because you want to be – is a sure fire recipe for
marketing suicide.
The 100% Pure brand, which has worked so
effectively for New Zealand, now requires that the country live up to its
claims. Apparent failure to do so, leads to some pretty negative publicity. See
the Guardian exposure article here.
In a globally connected world, marketing is no
longer about spinning a message and pushing it through channels but about being
perceived as attractive. The best way to do that is to be attractive to the
groups you wish to attract. Tourism has always been developed by a fringe group
of early adopters – the adventurers/travelers who discover what’s new, exotic,
hot and worth travelling to see. This same group – who wield enormous influence
– are now telling us what to avoid.
In an analogue world of stuff, the maxim Location,
Location, Location applied. In a digitized, connected and transparent world,
that maxim has been replaced with Reputation, Reputation, Reputation.
Destinations – if you really want to succeed, show
you care!
Comments
Reputation, Reputation, Reputation
It was the Monty Python crew that encouraged us to
“always look on the bright side of life” and, in keeping with that thought, a
clever group of people have created an alternative marketing campaign for
Canada. Calling themselves “nature ambassadors”, they have created the Canadian
Tourism Federation and launched a campaign to attract people to a warmer Canada.
Their low cost but effective video is worth a view:
While I am sure my former colleagues at the CTC might be horrified, I say "well done!" It’s another effective wake up call that
should speak to the tourism community on a number of levels.
Their campaign confirms the following points that I
make in my presentations:
a. the DMO does not control the brand as much as it might think;
b. using today’s cheaply available tools, anyone
and everyone can be a destination marketer and have influence; and
c. Reputation matters more than marketing.
Right now Canada’s international reputation as a
responsible, caring member of the tourism community is in rapid decline. Leaders like Lester Pearson are probably turning in their graves. In this post on the blog of The Icarus Foundation, we show Canada slipping to bottom of the carbon reduction league
tables within the G8; over on the Agents of Change blog, there’s an excellent
interview by pollster Allan Gregg with Sir Nicholas Stern. After spending 20
minutes providing a highly lucid description of the core issues, Stern
concludes with a diplomatic but firm assessment of the perils facing Canada if
this country’s political leaders do not shift their position.
Any country that dares to claim it is green and
clean or sustainable is now vulnerable to exposure by consumers, NGOs and
enforcement agencies determined to “get to the truth”. Declaring yourself
sustainable – simply because you want to be – is a sure fire recipe for
marketing suicide.
The 100% Pure brand, which has worked so
effectively for New Zealand, now requires that the country live up to its
claims. Apparent failure to do so, leads to some pretty negative publicity. See
the Guardian exposure article here.
In a globally connected world, marketing is no
longer about spinning a message and pushing it through channels but about being
perceived as attractive. The best way to do that is to be attractive to the
groups you wish to attract. Tourism has always been developed by a fringe group
of early adopters – the adventurers/travelers who discover what’s new, exotic,
hot and worth travelling to see. This same group – who wield enormous influence
– are now telling us what to avoid.
In an analogue world of stuff, the maxim Location,
Location, Location applied. In a digitized, connected and transparent world,
that maxim has been replaced with Reputation, Reputation, Reputation.
Destinations – if you really want to succeed, show
you care!
