Why Tourism Must Embrace Brand Culture
The article by Giganom is very relevant to tourism thought it was not direct to this market at all. The fact that Public Relations (PR) professionals now outnumber journalists 4 to 1 gives some indication of what is happening in the media: Companies are publishing their own content with magazines, videos, music and even newspapers and media companies and journalist are loosing markets. The Internet is an open gateway for all to become media entities and companies like Red Bull now see themselves as Media companies every bit as much as an energy drinks company.
In this age of participation consumers are increasing insensitive to the source of information and hence Journalism is thinning relative to those in PR; the business of content publishing and media management. Thomas Kellner, Former Forbes Executive echos this saying that “People these days don’t care as much about where the story comes from as long as it tells them something.” Of course that means the content must be of interest and that the story has value.
All major brands are now story tellers, they know the art and power of the story: Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign (Wunderman/Ogilvy Australia) is a great example of this. “It sets the stage for an experience to happen. Seeing our own names, or names of those we know, respect, or care about, reflected on the product triggers memories. And a call to action on the product to share might activate a change in behavior, like saving bottles with friends’ names as a novelty”. Taken from Brand Strategy Insider.
In the current demand-based economy it is consumers that rule, not producers, and with that the power and authority of the main stream media has diminished. Brands now speak for themselves on many platforms as well as on their own sites and media properties. Increasingly brand stories are carried in the traditional media as “native” advertising. As Josh Benton pointed out recently in the Nieman Journalism Lab, “native advertising is here to stay — and in many ways has always been here, except it was called “advertorial.” Now it, like every other form of content, is everywhere, often indistinguishable from journalism.”
Its all part of the new content marketing landscape, which is something all leading hotel and tourism Brands are deeply involved in. Every hotelier should be also. “Not just in blogs about your hotel, but beyond that as a ambassador of your destination, your brand your product, your self and your market.”
Market Forces are requiring a more integrated approach.
Marketing, Advertising, Social Media and Publishing are now closely integrated and cannot not be seen as separate entities. Anyone who has done any sort of Search Engine Marketing will know that all communications build on each other and that strategic marketing will require careful planning to put the right content in the right medium at the right time. This is yet another reason for brands to take control of all communications and do more of it themselves. A magazine, a video a press release are now fundamental parts of internet marketing, more valuable than a blog or an article in gaining authority for the brand. We have done a whole series on this in our TourismMarketingMachines.com (see this on the top menu), one of the videos is listed below.
Hotel Brands and Responsibilities
As hoteliers we have at least 4 brands. Your hotel (and its products), Yourself, your destination and your marketplace. You own the first two, you are ambassadors for your destination and your market, and with that comes responsibility to be true to your market, your customer, your destination and your environment.
Corporate social responsibility is taking on a brand new face as the social role of governments get smaller and brands that are trusted, are starting to assume social and community responsibility. To support a cause or contribute to a purpose and to help provide social solutions.
Tourism is no different. Every tourism professional and employee now have a social responsibility – I coined the phrase a decade ago that “A brand is a promise and expectation” and it is no less true today. More and more consumer are expecting social responsibility from the brands they choose to align with.
Tourism professionals and all those involved in hospitality can help to make the world a better place.
More to come Brand Sound http://www.thesoundagency.com/what/Tourism Branding, Hotel Branding, Personal Branding, Brand Journalism, Video Branding, Music Branding
Scent Branding, the Silent Brand and the Love Brand.
See videos below on Tourism Branding.
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