On a recent Colbert Report show on the Comedy Channel, Colbert in his rant called, "The Word" was referring to some of the worst places on earth and the title, "Windsor, Ontario" came up on the screen. OUCH!
It would be funny if it were not consistent with the feedback I've been getting to my question, "Have you ever heard of Windsor, Ontario, Canada?" What ever reason Colbert had to poke fun at Windsor is anyone's guess, but it is a high profile (1.5 million viewers) hit to Windsor's brand.
In the local media, there was much indigation. Most of the viewers having very little understanding of what brand means, came forward with countless promotional ideas to boost the city's image. But those in the know, understand that to change your off-brand perceptions you have to address the problems directly. You can advertise any positive message you want, but if the root problem is still there, you're not going to fool anyone - you are just going to continue to be the brunt of jokes and your brand will be left in the control of others.
A good case in point might be Sudbury, Ontario. This Northern Ontario city is a world leader in copper and nickel mining. Years ago, it too was the brunt of countless jokes because of the incredible polution that reduced the landscape to what could be described as an environmental disaster. In the late 60's NASA in preparation for the Apollo moon landings, sent astronauts there to train because of its "moonscape" terrain. Sudbury, got smart. It recognized that its brand would never improve with marketing spin, it had to fix the root cause. After many years of serious effort it is no longer the brunt of jokes. It has achieved a world-renouned reputation for environmental renewal. The landscape is green again and it's citizens enjoy a healthier lifestyle. Sudbury has proved that you can change what seems like an impossible task - all it takes is the will power to make it so.
Place branding has some of the toughest challenges associated with it because of the diverse nature of the stake holders who make up any location. It will take incredible effort and leadership to bring about an effective brand strategy the city can build on. As, Derrick Daye from The Blake Project so aptly put it in a recent discussion on this very issue, "It's like herding cats!"
Colbert is the wake-up call to fix it or laugh along with it. It really is our choice. What do you think? Are you happy with your city's brand?
