Branding as Memory

Many economic developers are interested in creating a brand for their geographic areas. Some have tried and succeeded. Others have tried and failed. I think the difference lies in what you think a brand is. It's like everthing in life: what you think in your head (or your customer's head) can either help or hurt you.

What exactly is a brand? There are countless definitions of the term; a promise, a rumor, a relationship, an image, a unique position and so forth. But these descriptions are all results of branding, not the brand itself. A better description is "a person's collected experiences of a company, product or service with a certain name." But not even this description is spot on.

A brand is actually a memory. That is what Swedish brand planner Jonas Bergvall says. "Everything you remember about a company, through interaction, what other people say about them, advertising, using their products or every other interaction is their brand for you." Maybe the same can be said for place branding.

In light of that, create enduring happy memories for existing businesses in your area and new companies evaluating your area as a business location.