My presentation During the 18th CONGRESS APDR | INNOVATION AND REGIONAL DYNAMICS | JUNE 14-16, 2012 | UNIVERSITY OF ALGARVE -- Proceedings now available! | 18th APDR CONGRESS APDR | INNOVATION AND REGIONAL DYNAMICS | JUNE 14-16, 2012 | UNIVERSITY OF ALGARVE http://www.apdr.pt/congresso/2012/pdf/SESSION_C1.pdf SESSION C1 INNOVATION AND REGIONAL DYNAMICS Full papers http://www.apdr.pt/congresso/2012/proccedings_atas.html .. Abstract Place branding has emerged as a powerful instrument to create some uniqueness, and differentiate places, which could be linked to a general increase in competition between countries, regions and cities in order to draw the attention of stakeholders to invest and host events. Moreover, it has been implemented as a form of spatial planning and place management. The concept is thought to provide valuable tools for places to differentiate themselves, by managing their opportunities and transforming them into competitive advantages, thus gaining brand value and strengthening their global market position. Three following instruments have been explored as a competitive appeal: i) personality association ii) signature building, and iii) event hallmarking. Amongst others, cultural events are used to improve overall reputation and stimulate development by attracting visitors and capital. This paper focuses on the European Capital of Culture-Guimarães as the 2012 city host (ECC-2012). First, it attempts to clarify the contribution of place branding instruments, from the organization of cultural events to a branding strategy capable of enhancing development, and discuss the links between them. Secondly, to what extent the ECC-2012 (short-term intervention) is embedded in a longer-term strategy to create a new regional dynamic of the northwest region of Portugal. Is the ECC creating momentum? Is place branding (i.e. as a spatial planning instrument) used to foster this momentum?

1. 14th of June 2012
Instruments of Place Branding and Regional Dynamics
Guimarães as European Capital of Culture
Eduardo Oliveira
Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

2.  Introduction;
 Place branding, brief conceptual approach;
 Place branding as planning & management tool;
 Place branding & regional dynamics;
 Instruments of Place Branding;
Event hallmarking;
 European Capital of Culture event (ECC);
 Can we do place branding with the ECC events?
 Guimarães 2012 - ECC;
 Guimarães 2012 - ECC & Words for the future.

3.  Place branding is an attempt:
To form a unique selling proposition that will secure
visibility to the outside world;
To reinforce local identity;
To achieve competitive advantage (e.g.):
To increase inward investment;
To increase tourism revenues;
To achieve community development;
To activating all social forces to avoid social exclusion -
i.e. to attempt to the inclusive growth.
Place branding, brief conceptual approach
Efficient tool in pursuit of objectives that relate to the place
management and spatial planning [1, 2, 3]

4. “It is accepted that place marketing can be
treated as an instrument of place
management undertaken in pursuit of
objectives that relate to the management of
the place.” [4]
“A place brand strategy is a plan for defining
the most realistic, most competitive and
most compelling strategic vision for the
place.” [5]
Place branding, brief conceptual approach

5. Place branding as planning & management tool
Preeminent tool for urban and
regional development, planning and
place management
As strategy to support economic & social changes
Place
Branding
Country Region City
Vision
Goals
Measures

6. Place branding & regional dynamics
Place
Branding
Regional dynamic
Select
strategies
Strategic
networks
Determine
goals
While many destinations depend almost
exclusively on natural resources others are
forced to develop manmade facilities.
Develop places and enhance the
attractiveness and competitiveness of
destinations.
Implement new dynamic

7. Place branding
Regional dynamic
Improve local values
& inclusive
development
Community
engagement &
social justice
Planning tool &
place
management
Environment
&
Sustainability
Achieve wide
cooperation
Development
&
competitiveness
Economic
regeneration
Competitive &
attractive image
Anticipate a change
Relationships

8. Instruments of Place branding
Personality association
Gaudi
Barcelona
Flagship building
Signature districts

9. Instruments of Place branding
Event hallmarking

10. Instruments of Place branding
Event hallmarking
 “Places organise and sponsor temporary events in order
to obtain a wider recognition that they exist but also to
establish specific brand associations”. [6]
 “Cultural events are favoured largely because of there
visibility and wide acceptability of cultural products as
merit goods adding value and desirable brand attributes
to a place”. [7]
“Hallmark events alone are unlikely to have much impact upon
a place brand” - “Effective as instruments in a strategic policy” 7

11. Improve image
Cultural
Events
Urban development Attract visitor/investment

12. Purpose
The European Capitals of Culture initiative was set up to:
highlight e their image in the eyes of their own inhabitants.
The European Capitals of Culture initiative:
 Highlight the richness and diversity of European cultures;
 Celebrate the cultural ties that link Europeans;
 Through cultural projects produced by ‘multinational artists’
(with different cultural backgrounds) they tend to create a
common European culture.
Is also expected that the event
 Regenerate cities;
 Raise their international profile and enhance their image;
 Give new vitality to their everyday life by the means of
cultural activities;
 Raise their international profile, boost tourism and
enhance their image in the eyes of their own inhabitants.

13. Florence
 Project launched by the Greek
Minister of Culture Melina Merkouri;
 Athens as the first ECC gave emphasis
on contemporary art production;
Athens 1985 – 1st European Capital of Culture*
 Florence 1986 highlighted its own
historical importance;
 Berlin 1988 was criticized for
having an elitist approach;
*European City of Culture until 1999

14. Rotterdam developed a programme with the aims of
stimulating internationally orientated culture, building the
image of Rotterdam as a cultural festival and event city, and
supporting the applied arts, such as architecture, design and
photography [25].
 Glasgow 90 is deemed to have
rejuvenated a city suffering from
urban decay, high unemployment &
crime;
 Antwerp 93 it helped to challenge
some of the extremist political
tendencies; urban space projects;
changed to - city of creativity;
 Thessaloniki’s 97 brand itself as
the metropolis of the Balkans;
Stormy planning process;
renovation of cultural facilities;

15. Florence
 Brussels 2000 named its TOP
priority as creating social cohesion;
 Porto 2001 made it clear that
economic development was as
important as the cultural
programme; urban remodelling;

16. Rotterdam developed a programme with the aims of
stimulating internationally orientated culture, building the
image of Rotterdam as a cultural festival and event city, and
supporting the applied arts, such as architecture, design and
photography [25].
 Genoa & Liverpool have
used the ECC, as a ‘trigger’
to initiate their branding
exercises [9].
 Rotterdam developed a
programme with the aims of
stimulating internationally
orientated culture, building the
image of Rotterdam as a
cultural festival and event
city [8].

17. Can we do place branding with the ECC events?
Tricky question?!
 Place Branding is a process or a strategy which
takes/needs a long time to achieve the desirable result;
 The ECC cities have already a cultural background (an
organic image which includes the arts) and the
appropriate infrastructure to welcome such an event;
 The success of an ECC does not rely only on the
organisation of this particular event but on the city itself
and all the elements that compose it;
 ECCs is a way to add cultural value to a potential place
brand.

18. Can we do place branding with the ECC events?
Conceptualization:
 If the hallmark events can be the catalysts triggering
existing processes, making trends and create conditions
that already at least potentially existed.
Place branding becomes a valid, necessary and highly
effective form of place management.
 Are most significant at the level of
strategic reorientation.
 Alone are unlikely to have much
impact upon a place brand.
 Relatively small and have little
lasting promotional impact. [7]
Events

19. Celebrating success, or on the way to fail?
Successful
stories?!
Events hallmarking
Many
Failures?!
The arguments
To attract tourists and visitors. Attract no tourists, but visitors from
the same place.
Events and tourism can be mutually
beneficial.
Interaction between event planning
and destination planning is needed.
To capture attention and promote
attractions and infrastructures.
Most events are small, with a limited
duration in time and create minor
impacts.
Events in big cities are more
prepared to achieve success. More modestly sized places have
achieved notable successes.

20.  The need for local community support;
 The need for a good strategic and cultural fit with the
place – have to reflet the local spirit;
 The need for an event to be differentiated from others;
 The longevity or tradition of the event at the destination;
 Cooperative planning among key players;
 Media support for the event.
Celebrating success, or on the way to fail?
6 ways for success
Events hallmarking
Cultural events

21. Viana do Castelo
Braga
Guimarães
Porto
Cultural
events

22. Purpose
The European Capitals of Culture initiative was set up to:
highlight e their image in the eyes of their own inhabitants.
The three goals of the Guimarães 2012 - ECC:
 Development of human capital – Empower the local
community with new human resources and professional
expertise, by encouraging their proactive involvement in the
European Capital of Culture initiative;
 Development of a creative economy – Transform the
city’s economy, based on an industrial economic model, into
an internationally competitive and creative economy;
 Generation of a new geography – Transform a space
that passively preserves memory into a space that constantly
offers new and surprising cultural and creative experiences.
[10]

23. [10]

24. Our argument
Guimarães 2012 ECC has the opportunity to:
 Promote the cultural diversity of the city & region;
 Development of the city & surrounding region;
 Attempt to urban, social and economic regeneration;
 Enhancing the region (e.g. image/notoriety) and its
collective public heritage.
The ECC Guimarães 2012 could attempt/contribute to the dynamic of the
northwest region of Portugal

25. Fundamental understanding/contribution to the discussion:
 Events are most effective as:
Instruments in a strategic policy, and
Guimarães 2012 - ECC & Words for the future
As demonstration that a change already occurred
and could be maintained / carry forward.
Policy instruments
Events hallmarking Support for a change
Social
harmony
Economic
growth
Environmental
sustainability
Encouraging
investment

26. Guimarães 2012 - ECC & Words for the future
A key challenge is to ensure that the ECC initiative is
embedded as part of a long-term political
commitment and strategy by the city to using the
culture to develop itself into – and to remain – a
creative, inclusive, developed, competitive city .
Yes, we can integrate it
while working on a
place branding strategy
Academic discussion
Trigger the
branding effort
Positioning
tool

27. Guimarães 2012 - ECC & Words for the future
 As a part of a potential place branding strategy;
 As an opportunity to create momentum, and legacy for
the future in terms of development of the arts and the
culture (cultural habits), together with urban regeneration
and economic and social development [11].
The ECC in Guimarães has the potential to enhance the
reputation of the city and the northwest region, but for
itself does not produce results, unless it is integrated in
a wide place branding strategy.
In practice

28. [1] Kavaratzis, M., and Ashworth, G., Place branding: where do we stand? Towards Effective Place Brand
Management-Branding European Cities and Regions, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, Cheltenham, United
Kingdom, 1-14, (2010).
[2] Kavaratzis, M., From city marketing to city branding: Towards a theoretic al framework for developing city
brands. Place Branding, 1, 58-73 (2004).
[3] Ashworth, G. and Kavaratzis, M., Towards Effective Place Brand Management-Branding European Cities
and Regions. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, Cheltenham, United Kingdom, 1-14, (2010).
[4] Ashworth, G. and Voogd, H., Selling the City: Marketing Approaches in Public Sector Urban Planning,
Belhaven Press, London, (1990).
[5] Anholt S, 2007, Competitive Identity: The New Brand Management for Nations, Cities and Regions, New
York, Palgrave Macmillan.
[6] Hall, C., Hallmark events and the planning process. In The Planning and Evaluation of Hallmark Events,
Aldershot, Avebury, (1989).
[7] Ashworth,G.J. (2009) The instruments of place branding: how it is done? European Spatial Research and
Policy 16 (1) 9-22
[8] Richards, G., and Wilson, J, The Impact of Cultural Events on City Image: Rotterdam, Cultural Capital of
Europe 2001. Urban Studies, 41, 10, 1931-1951, (2004).
[9] Nobili, V. The role of European Capital of Culture events within Genoa's and Liverpool's branding and
positioning efforts. Place Branding, 1, 3, 316-328, (2005).
[10] http://www.guimaraes2012.pt/
[11] Cadima Ribeiro, A Capital Europeia da Cultura 2012 vista a partir das notícias publicadas em 2011 nos
jornais, URL: http://www.comumonline.com/opiniao/item/676-a-capital-europeia-da-cultura-2012-vista-a-
partir-das-noticias-publicadas-em-2011-nos-jornais (accessed in 19 February 2012).
References

29. Thank you for your attention
Eduardo Oliveira
e.h.da.silva.oliveira@rug.nl
http://www.rug.nl/staff/e.h.da.silva.oliveira
Any Questions?