Territorial marketing for a commune, region, city

Territorial marketing in other words, marketing of places: cities, villages and towns. Some countries attract tourists and secure budget revenues only thanks to it. There can be as many ideas for territorial marketing as there are places. 

Territorial marketing as a concept did not exist in Poland until our country joined the European Union. Then the funds appeared. On branding of municipalities and cities, territorial marketing, revitalization of less interesting areas in order to give them a new function.  

Some local governments have already convinced themselves that it pays off. Only by changing the image, the landscape of towns and villages changed radically. From not very interesting places it turned into a prosperous one hubs full of new investments and satisfied tourists (and therefore also residents). Below you will find out what is territorial marketing (definition, examples) and how to put it into practice. 

Territorial Marketing - Definition

What exactly is territorial marketing? The definition says this "Management aimed at satisfying the needs and desires of residents and external stakeholders". To put it simply, it is about building an image of the city that fulfills two tasks. On the one hand, it serves the goals or aspirations of its inhabitants. At the same time, it attracts tourists, investors and students. 

Territorial marketing goals two different places may even be opposite: to break with the image of an industrial town in one place and to emphasize the industrial character in another. So it can be said that there are no bad solutions in territorial marketing. It all depends on whether a specific idea meets the needs of residents and whether there will be investors and tourists willing to come to such a place.

Forms and types of territorial marketing

Taking into account the range of influence and the specificity of the group of recipients of marketing communication, we distinguish internal marketing and external. We consider each of them in relation to two levels - closer and further. Internal territorial marketing of the closer level includes activities addressed to employees of the local government or a unit providing services to residents. These activities are aimed at coordinating work, improving the quality of services provided and integrating a team of people focused around a specific goal. It is marketing prepared and carried out by the authorities of a given unit or on their instructions.

Internal territorial marketing of the further level focuses on activities stimulating the behavior of residents and entrepreneurs operating in a given territorial unit. It is the desires and needs of these entities that determine the goals to be achieved by the marketing of a given territorial unit. What does this one need target group? It can be, for example, creating appropriate conditions for living, studying and working, activating communities around important values and enabling the development of business activity.

Closer-level external territorial marketing involves activities carried out in the country to identify the reasons why individuals or groups of people choose a specific place to visit, live or conduct business. It leads to the creation of an offer presenting the values of a given territorial unit in terms of tourism, existential or business. In turn, the territorial marketing of the further level is carried out on the international arena.

Territorial Marketing - Examples of Successful Activities 

Sweden is a cold, sparsely populated country with far less entertainment than in other parts of Europe. Meanwhile, the common consciousness is that it is a charming, warm place that is worth visiting. Even the smallest Swedish towns are positioned in this way. This is what territorial marketing is behind. The agency itself VisitSweden has a budget of 110 million. Crowns per year. It is in the minds of marketers that ideas such as promotion arise hygge as an aspirational trend or the promotion of Swedish crime fiction, which may be gloomy, but worth seeing with your own eyes, where their action takes place. Even controversial territorial marketing can make sense. This is proved, for example, by an orientation towards UFO the image of the towns around Roswell in the USA or image Amsterdam, which is mainly associated with stimulants and a risky lifestyle. 

Territorial marketing in Poland

In Poland, an example of marketing places is, for example, promoting Wrocław as the European Capital of Culture or territorial marketing of towns based on e.g. a regional dish (Gdańsk - the city of herring, Tatar flavors in Kruszyniany) or a famous inhabitant (Chopin - Żelazowa Wola). The development of the competitiveness of territorial units and the almost unlimited mobility opportunities have meant that Polish cities, towns and villages fight every day for the attention and interest of tourists, potential residents and entrepreneurs.

Promotional activities are currently carried out by all territorial units, regardless of their size and potential. Each of them tries to stand out from the neighboring units and translate its advantages into real financial benefits. All cities try to convince them that they are the best places to live, and places that are tourist attractions encourage them to set their locations as the main destination. Metropolises try to attract as many investors as possible, and small towns argue that they are an attractive alternative full of so far undiscovered opportunities. Local governments try to use different ones to achieve their goals marketing instruments.

Each year, numerous rankings are published that examine tourist, business, cultural, social, scientific and sports attractiveness. On their basis, lists of the best local governments, the most interesting tourist attractions and cities with the largest number of happy inhabitants are created. Big cities more and more boldly use unusual promotional tools, such as the use of virtual reality, mixing the online and offline world, offering original souvenir gadgets and the use of original forms of communication between the local government and the resident. The attractiveness and potential of Poland are more and more clearly exposed in the international arena, and Polish cities are not afraid to compete in the elections of the hosts of the most prestigious sports and cultural events.

How to conduct effective territorial marketing? 

Before it rises marketing strategy city or region, it is worth devoting a lot of time to the stage of collecting inspiration. Sometimes the association obvious to the steward turns out to be completely unknown or unattractive to outsiders. It is worth involving the local community in such activities, which increases their support for the initiative, but can also result in good ideas. While the direction of the city's promotion development is not clear, it is worth referring to the sources. Sometimes it is only a query in the archives that allows you to see that there used to be vineyards in an uninteresting place today, numerous cultures met or interesting handicrafts were created.  

Sometimes it is worth joining the competition in such activities. Neighboring communes or towns may constitute indirect competition. By supporting the overall positive image of the area, we ensure that tourists may visit several places in one trip for the benefit of all. Other times, a more recognizable town is a direct competition, and then it is worth finding an independent distinguishing factor for yourself. Sometimes what may seem like a downside can be turned into a plus. A little industrialized region, a lazy fantasy of the inhabitants, the best moonshine in the area - all these can be advantages. 

Territorial Marketing - How NOT To Do It 

In the current surfeit of stimuli and events, it is worth looking for the most original distinguishing feature. This may be a detail that residents do not think worth emphasizing. For example, a local custom or an element of position that will impress outsiders. The biggest mistake local governments and agencies make when planning territorial marketing is lack of authenticity and a clear message. In this way, expensive campaigns are created that even the smallest town forcibly presents as a city of culture, business, education, modernity, music ... Instead of focusing on one or two things that actually make them recognizable (such as cream cakes and the Pope in Wadowice) .  

Another problem with the marketing campaigns of cities and regions is the excess of invention. As a result of programs or subsidies, the authorities order another one brandingwhose assumptions conflict with those promoting the city just a few months ago. Record-holders ordered many radically different graphics, logos and slogans for the city (e.g. 2008 - Oleśnica is delightful; 2013 - Oleśnica - the city of towers and roses; Oleśnica - a city in good style, [date unknown]; and a new logo without a slogan from 2017 ). This only increases the confusion of residents and potential tourists and investors.

A way to change the image of the region 

In addition to creating the image of a city or region from scratch, you can also create a territorial marketing campaignwhich will correct the current perception of a given place. Lodz was able to do this to a large extent, which only a few years ago evoked associations other than the well-kept city of film and artists. Sometimes a peculiarity is possible in this way brand rebranding cities. Such actions, however, should be preceded by such steps as marketing audit or market research. This allows you to build a credible message that is anchored in reality. There have been well-known territorial marketing campaigns that have been completely forgotten after a few months because they were based on false assumptions with which it was difficult to identify.