Why marketing tastes like Meatball Sundae
Another VivaCity Article
Helsinki's question about identity is a question about authenticity.
First of all, do you know what a meatball sundae is? It's a dish that makes most people cringe: meatballs with ice cream. Seth Godin used it as a metaphor in his book of the same name for a common mistake in marketing: combining two ideas or products that don't fit together at all.
Unfortunately, this still happens a lot. Many marketing efforts are misleading and promise things they can't deliver. In place marketing, this is even more true. If you try to attract visitors or new residents with images and slogans that you can't live up to, you only create negative feelings about the place you're trying to promote.
If you want to learn about typecasting or the stereotypical image of a city, you should watch the series 'La casa del papel' (translated into English as 'Money Heist'). All the bank robbers are named after cities. Does the image match that of your city? Tokyo is the smartest and most subtle, Rome is cynical but ultimately a hero, and Rio is the attractive, sensitive type. And Helsinki? Helsinki is the typical bearded tough exterior with a soft heart. Does this match how the people of Helsinki see their city? And what about visitors? My experiences with Helsinki paint a very different picture from the tough, masculine image of the character in the series. Of all the cities I've worked in, it might be the one that is furthest ahead in gender equality.
'What are we?'
In its pitch for the Viva City context, the city of Helsinki asked the question, 'What are we?' Or as it was eloquently described: "Is it sauna? Is it the midnight sun or endless dark? Is it father figures pushing baby strollers on the streets? Is it design or pure nature (lots of it)? Is it the Nordic oddity or the roughness that the city has?" This is not a question about branding but about identity. What does Helsinki mean to its residents? It's not a given that this is the same as what the world thinks of Helsinki."
The identity of a city is shaped by the people who live there; they are the true owners of their city's name. But that's not enough. You also need to explore the gap between how people outside your city perceive and talk about it, and what you, in turn, communicate to those people. The closer these three elements align, the more authentic and powerful your marketing will be. The wider they diverge, the more your claims will be dismissed as mere 'sales talk,' leading to negative sentiment. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly study your city's identity. This provides the foundation for everything you do, from strategy and promotion to branding, development, and investment. Your decisions should be grounded in research (which boosts credibility) and in the views of your residents (which enhances support).
With Helsinki, we're diving deep into identity research in Viva City's learning lab, and it's to their credit that they're asking these questions themselves. All too often, city marketers and tourism professionals assume they know their city inside out, risking the loss of support from the very people they serve—the residents. Moreover, a city isn't a static entity; it's something that continually evolves. Finally, there are still far too many examples of places where the tourism sector paints a picture of the city that doesn't align with its true essence. Many meatballs with ice cream are still being served.
And you—does your organisation conduct identity research on your city?
FRANK CUYPERS
Founder Place Generation
Viva City is an initiative of CityDNA and Simpleview.