Abstract
Increasing competitiveness between geographic locations, the greater mobility of industries and residents and the positive and negative impacts of improved communications are prompting many government and business leaders to apply marketing principles to their respective locations in an attempt to remain competitive or as a turnaround strategy in response to economic and/or social decline. This paper is a review of a brand management strategy for a semi-rural community in New South Wales, Australia, that was implemented by the authors. The purpose of the paper is to share the process and outcomes with both academics and practitioners, with the aim of contributing to the relatively new field of place branding. The results highlight the need for a place brand strategy to be well resourced, particularly in terms of leadership and funding, as well as the need for acceptance and commitment on the part of key stakeholders.
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1has extensive management experience in local government and more recently in business development. He was a director of Tourism Wollongong and Tweed Tourism in New South Wales. Having completed an MBA at Wollongong University, he is now undertaking a DBA with the thesis being relative to the brand management of towns and cities. He is a lecturer in management and marketing at Wollongong University. He liaises with the Australia Day Council of NSW and is a consultant for the NSW Department of State and Regional Development and the Keep Australia Beautiful Council of NSW.
2has extensive background experience in project management and change management, specialising in business processes and business development for corporate and small/medium enterprises. She is currently engaged in managing projects dealing with regional solutions for tourism and economic development. She consults and provides training within a wide area of marketing, business systems and project needs and is regularly invited to speak to business groups on town development and business development solutions. She is a member of the National Executive for Business Swap Australia, a member of various business networks, assessor for the Keep Australia Beautiful Council of NSW and author of several books.
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Kerr, G., Johnson, S. A review of a brand management strategy for a small town — Lessons learnt!. Place Brand Public Dipl 1, 373–387 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.pb.5990035
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.pb.5990035