Dundee Discovered an Integrated Brand Action Plan

Dundee Discovered An Integrated Brand Action Plan

DUNDEE’S LOCAL ACTION PLAN IN THE FRAME OF URBACT- CITYLOGO

Local Support Group ...... 1 Are you talking to me? Our key audiences ...... 19 Introduction Our priorities ...... 19 Convenor of City Development, Cllr Will Dawson ...... 2 Doing better with less Background to Project and Digital and Social Media ...... 20 Local Action Plan Integration of brand and URBACT Programme 2007 -2013 ...... 3 city events ...... 21 CityLogo Rationale ...... 3 Staying current CityLogo – Dundee Baseline ...... 3 Keeping relevant ...... 22 Dundee’s Brand Development to date Reflecting the changes ...... 22 Background ...... 7 What’s the difference? Dundee Narrative ...... 9 Connecting Brand development Dundee Ambassadors ...... 11 and Economic Development ...... 23 Visual Narrative ...... 13 What does success look like? ...... 23 Target Audiences ...... 15 Tools for measuring ...... 23 Current Challenges and paths for the near Future Set of Actions ...... 25 Whose Brand is it anyway? ...... 16 Beyond Participation – effective stakeholder engagement ...... 16 Improving community engagement ...... 17 Governance and Management ...... 17 There’s only one “Dundee” Brand ...... 18 Local Support Group Current members include:

Jennifer Caswell Mike Forbes Dundee City Council Insights

Diane Milne Richard Gourley Dundee City Council Dundee Science Centre

Jennie Patterson Sarah Craig Patter PR & Events City Centre Management

Louise Connor University of Dundee

Kevin Coe University of Abertay Dundee

Tara Wainwright V&A Dundee

www.dundee.com Introduction

Cllr Will Dawson breakthroughs. Over many is well over halfway towards most associate Dundee with the Convenor of City Development, hundreds of years, the city was an completion. This £1billion project following words – friendly, historic, Dundee City Council. industrious place, linen, weaving, spans 240 acres of land stretching progressive, modern, happy and tanning, shipbuilding and whaling 8km along the River Tay. V&A growing. all played roles in shaping the city’s Dundee is the centre piece of the I am delighted to introduce That’s a vote of confidence in history. It was, as Juteopolis, centre Waterfront regeneration. It will Dundee’s Local Action Plan for its Brand Dundee and our strategic of the world’s jute industry that the bring an international centre of work developed under the CityLogo communications efforts. The city underwent its most rapid period design for Scotland to the city. project. The action plan will enable challenge now is to build on this of growth. What is remarkable is Together with a new railway us to promote our city effectively for the future and this action plan I the way the city has managed to station, and new boutique hotels, over the next 24 months and ensure believe will help us to achieve that. we maximise the opportunities this reinvent itself again, despite the the city is preparing to welcome a phase in Dundee’s history affords death of this industry in the city huge influx of visitors. over 50 years ago. us. We are indeed in exciting times. What do we want the impression Dundee has been a trading Today we are an academic city, of our city to be to these visitors, city for over 800 years and has with two universities, Dundee and how do we want to be recognised always been a creative city, full Abertay, at the forefront of research in the world? Our city’s marketing of ideas. It has pioneered a truly and study. In the last 25 years activity is crucial in helping us astonishing number of social, the city has changed beyond all define and then project these. The religious and political reforms, measure. The Waterfront Master- latest survey measuring our image technical advances and medical plan drawn up for its regeneration and perception showed that people

www.dundee.com URBACT Programme CityLogo Rationale engaging communication strategies which focus on local assets and future expectations 2007-2013 CityLogo is a project funded by URBACT and support all key sectors - business, visitors, and led by the Municipality of Utrecht in URBACT is the leading European fund that population. focuses solely on the issues that affect urban collaboration with a network of European Launched in January 2013 the project runs areas, enabling cities to work together to cities. The URBACT programme enables until May 2015. The project’s webpage develop solutions to major urban challenges, thematic networks of like-minded urban areas contains a host of information: reaffirming the key role cities play in to work together to address an identified issue. addressing increasingly complex societal In the case of CityLogo the network consists http://urbact.eu/en/projects/metropolitan- change and challenges. URBACT helps cities of partners in 10 cities across Europe: Utrecht, governance/citylogo/homepage/ to develop pragmatic solutions that are new Dundee, Warsaw, Vilnius, Aarhus, Oslo, and sustainable, integrating economic and Coimbra, Zaragoza, Alba Iulia and Genoa. social dimensions. Furthermore, the collaboration established CityLogo - Dundee Baseline with the Eurocities Working Group on City The URBACT Programme aims to foster As the CityLogo project was developed a Branding has enabled us to extend the peer integrated and sustainable urban development baseline study of each of the partner cities was learning to 15 additional cities. through: undertaken to identify their activity within the CityLogo is a transnational learning field of city branding and marketing. • Facilitating the exchange of experiences experience with a focus on innovative city- and learning among city policy-makers, The study identified the following in relation to branding and marketing, positioning cities in decision-makers and practitioners; Dundee: the post-crisis economic arena and reinforcing • Disseminating good practices and the the need for effective communication of a • Dundee has been engaged in city lessons learned from the exchanges and city’s identity to achieve their key aims in an branding/marketing for over 20 years and ensure the transfer of know-how; increasingly competitive global economy. in 2010, following the engagement of a destination branding consultancy, Klein • Assisting city policy makers and CityLogo has looked at brand management O’Rorke, and extensive consultation with practitioners to define and put into practice and communication strategies in modern key stakeholders and the community, a Action Plans for sustainable urban urban policies. The project looks to support new brand was launched – Dundee: One development. cities branding and re-branding, developing City, Many Discoveries effective strategies that have engaged local stakeholders, learning from best practice • A distinct narrative was developed for (and indeed worst practice), developing new the city, beyond the logo. This includes strategies for post-economic crisis growth, a strapline and communication focused campaigns targeting key sectors

www.dundee.com • The development of the new brand • Use of new social media tools and included the development of a Strategic methods Advisory Board to provide support and • Integrating the existing city brand more direction to the campaign; a baseline effectively with the marketing of large survey and regular perception studies of scale projects and big events the city and its brand; the development of a 72-page brand toolkit and the • New ways for improving community integration of other established brands/ engagement communication channels used across • Evaluation tools for city marketing the city such as BioDundee and Dundee Renewables The baseline study also identified a range of challenges facing the city, that it was hoped • Development of the Dundee Ambassadors engagement in the CityLogo project could and Dundee Innovators programme to provide potential solutions for. These were: promote the city • Budgetary constraints: diminishing • Dundee & Me to encourage people to post budgets for marketing and branding their own Dundee profile on the city’s website, giving their views of what makes • Changing world context and new Dundee special technologies: how to continue to be “unique” as more cities develop branding • Use of social media to engage new strategies; engaging effectively with audiences new technologies and generations of • Development of way-finding approaches potential visitors, students, employees, in the city centre that integrate the city’s entrepreneurs etc. Engaging more narrative and brand into the provision of effectively with new digital tools visitor information • Enhanced engagement of stakeholders, the local community and potential audiences Gaps and demands for Dundee include: with the brand • Beyond participation: effective stakeholder • How to keep the brand strategy fresh and involvement in brand management and current co-delivery of initiatives

www.dundee.com Dundee’s Assets

From the baseline document and latest thinking, Dundee’s key assets/opportunities identified as follows:

Friendly city key areas. The University of Dundee offers UK-leading education in medicine and life sciences whilst the According to the Lonely Planet, “Dundonians are the most university’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and welcoming people you can meet” Design is ranked in the top 3 art schools in the UK. Abertay University is renowned for its teaching in games Accessible city design/digital technology, being the first in the world to offer a degree in computer games design in 1997 and Dundee sits within easy access of much of Scotland the first in the UK to establish a Centre of Excellence in with regular rail connections to Edinburgh, Glasgow and computer games based education in 2011. Aberdeen. The road network connectes over 300,000 people to the city in little over 30 minutes. Rich cultural offering Large thriving student population From theatres to heritage, music, dance and festivals Dundee is truly a campus city with 2 universities and a Dundee has it all. 5 star attractions include the RRS large further education college. Student numbers rise to Discovery which journeyed to Antarctica and Verdant over 40,000 during term time, the highest ratio per head Works which tells the story of Dundee’s jute industry. of population in Scotland. Students come from all over Music is in the city’s soul and live music can be found the globe to study and this large academic and young any night of the week somewhere in the city. Cultural community creates a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. institutions include: Dundee Rep Theatre, Scottish Dance Theatre - Scotland’s Contemporary Dance Company; Dundee Contemporary Arts home to galleries, a print Excellent universities studio and independent cinema; and McManus Galleries, Both Dundee based universities offer a wide range of Dundee’s Museum and Art Gallery. academic options and deliver high quality research in

www.dundee.com Good value in terms of residential and the infrastructure investment will be completed by 2015 commercial property/standard of living making way for developers to begin to build the new vision of our city. Dundee offers better value in terms of housing prices than other areas of Scotland and this offer ranges V&A Museum of Design Dundee from Victorian mansions to waterfront apartments and everything in between. Whilst houses in the city are better The only design museum outwith London in the UK is value than many other areas of Scotland they are still a being built on a prime site on the city’s waterfront. Due good investment with prices increasing 8% in the last to open with blockbuster exhibitions and the story of year. Commercial property is also better value than other Scotland’s design heritage, this new cultural asset is cities in Scotland with rental charges below the average. expected to attract 300,000 new visitors every year. The iconic building which will house it all is designed by Strengths in key economic sectors international architect Kengo Kuma. Dundee has one of the most significant life sciences Strong, long-serving partnerships and communities in the UK outwith Oxford and Cambridge. good networks The city is renowned for its pioneering research in cancer and diabetes. 18% of Scotland’s digital/games companies Partnership working in Dundee is the norm and the size are based in Dundee with Abertay University feeding and compactness of the city helps with this. The Dundee talent into this sector via their world renowned computer Partnership has been in existence since 1991 and brings games course. together all of the key agencies to tackle some of the issues the city faces. Dundee waterfront regeneration programme Scale of the city This £1b project is well on its way with the build phase Unlike many other Scottish and UK cities Dundee is very firmly underway. The project stretches along 8km of compact with most of the city’s assets within walking riverside with 240 hectares of development land. It is distance. Dundee: Big enough to rock and small enough the 3rd most active regeneration project in the UK and to buzz. has received countless awards along the way. Most of

www.dundee.com spark a ignites Dundee in everyone in

Building on the research carried out as as out carried research the on Building Proposition its was strength… key foremost Dundee’s Dundee champion We part of Dundee City Positioning project project Positioning City Dundee of part Department Development Economic The and industries ‘niche’ certain in excellence Dundee ignites a spark focused a created have we O’Rorke) (Klein commissioned Council City Dundee of local of success the surrounding folklore in everyone proposition: by out carried year, this earlier research city, the in pride of source a is This heroes. Klein O’Rorke about Dundee’s perceptions perceptions Dundee’s about O’Rorke Klein these in working not incomers for even everyone, in spark a ignites Dundee the generated work This positioning. and rapidly changing is Dundee industries. encouraging them to embrace all life life all embrace to them encouraging ‘3 Es’ as being fundamental to Dundee’s Dundee’s to fundamental being as Es’ ‘3 focused high-profile, two least at has and has to offer. to has Dundee ignites a spark We champion Dundee Dundee’s foremost key strength… was its Proposition Building on the research carriedpositioning. outnew as media.” digital and sciences life industries: excellence in certain ‘niche’ industries and The Economic Development Department part of Dundee City Positioning project 2008) (Feb Race Place The report: Demos in everyone are: These folklore surrounding the success of local of Dundee City Council commissioned (Klein O’Rorke) we have created a focused inhabitants, its offers Dundee, of city The heroes. This is a source of pride in the city, research earlier this year, carried out by proposition:life. of quality Great Enjoy: Discover Dundee’s Brand more visitors and students companies, learn and even for incomers not working in these Klein O’Rorke about Dundee’s perceptions Through wide-ranging activities Dundeeactivities igniteswide-ranging a sparkThrough in everyone,Enrich: other most than opportunities and choices Development to Date industries. Dundee is changing rapidly and positioning. This work generated the We champion Dundee Dundee’s foremost key strength… was its Proposition Building on the research carried out as encouragingScottish for location themprime toand embraceDundee in all life choices – UK the in conurbations urban and has at least two high-profile, focused ‘3 Es’ as being fundamental to Dundee’s excellence in certain ‘niche’ industries and The Economic Development Department part of Dundee City Positioning project has to offer. countryside. multitude their for surprising be can which industries: life sciences and digital media.” new positioning. folklore surrounding the success of local Theof original Dundee work City on Councilthe refresh commissioned of our city brand identified(Klein that O’Rorke)Dundee’s wekey have created a focused industries. innovative In Excel: depth. and Demos report: The Place Race (Feb 2008) heroes. This is a source of pride in the city, strengthsresearch were earlier its excellence this year, in carriedcertain “niche” out by industriesproposition: and folklore surrounding the These are: even for incomers not working in these successKlein ofO’Rorke local heroes. about Considerable Dundee’s perceptions research and market testing around perceptions Dundee ignitesThe a cityspark of Dundee, in everyone, offers its inhabitants, industries. Dundee is changing rapidly ofand Dundee positioning. and its positioning This work led generated to the generationDiscover the of the 3 E’s as being fundamental Enjoy: Great quality of life. and learn encouraging companies,them to embrace students all andin life innovativevisitors more industries and has at least two high-profile, focused to‘3 Dundee’s Es’ as being new positioning. fundamental These to Dundee’sare: choices and opportunitiesand than world most class other research Enrich:Discover Through wide-ranging activities has to offer. motivation industries: life sciences and digital media.” new positioning. in Dundee and prime location for Scottish Discover urban conurbations in the UK – choices creativity Demos report: The Place Race (Feb 2008) These are: which can be surprising for their multitude countryside. The city of Dundee, offers its inhabitants, and depth. Discover Enjoy: Great quality of life. Excel: In innovative industries. and learn companies, students and visitors more choices and opportunities than most other Enrich: Through wide-ranging activities urban conurbations in the UK – choices in Dundee and prime location for Scottish which can be surprising for their multitude countryside. through the wide-ranging great quality of life activities in Dundee and Discover and depth. Excel: In innovative industries. Discover motivation unenviable access to the creativity Scottish countryside

Distilling down the proposition into Discover Discover lifestyle more Discover these memorable 3 words has been very Discover motivation useful in helping keep us focused and creativity also in helping our stakeholders think about Dundee and what it is which defines and differentiates us. Saying Introduction to the Dundee brand identity brand Dundee the to Introduction guidelines brand Discoveries Many OneCity, - Dundee too much is only confusing so we need 1 to be focused. The aim is essentially to portray Dundee as a city of stature, a Discover Discover high achieving “centre of Scotland” that more lifestyle is an intriguing and interesting place and to make it easy for people 7 to remember and understand why!

Discover Discover www.dundee.com more Dundee lifestyle- OneCity, Many Discoveries brand guidelines Introduction to the Dundee brand identity 1

Dundee - OneCity, Many Discoveries brand guidelines Introduction to the Dundee brand identity 1 Since the original baseline report undertaken for the CityLogo project progress has been achieved in a number of areas in relation to the continual development of our brand. Specific campaigns have been developed which address key audiences - including young people. Most importantly the stakeholders have bought into the idea that the campaigns sometimes have to be bold and provocative (not necessarily the usual method of council working). It was important therefore that the campaigns had the backing of the key stakeholders when inevitably challenged on this approach by external audiences. With our limited budget we needed to ensure that our campaigns stood out and were talked about. Humour was a key part of the approach with young people and creating a tone of voice which was cheeky but not arrogant which matched to some extent the humour and culture of the city.

www.dundee.com The Dundee Narrative

Dundee is undergoing major changes updating the document to important element of our campaign. physical changes which are reflect the change in the city where It has a major influence over the providing a unique opportunity appropriate. Overall our city’s main perception of our city - if we can for us to finally alter the outdated propositions remain the same. build a consistent and cohesive perceptions of the city. We need to message which is reflected by As we move forward an identified ensure that these radical changes others when they write about or action will be to focus on developing are evident in our propositioning, look to ensure/provide coverage of a master “editorial style” for key messages, values, and the Dundee. We have been successful content which can be tailored to visual narrative ensuring that in this in relation to the city’s suit all platforms. The priority will the stories we create about the waterfront development and also be to develop a bank of editorial city in relation to these changes through the city’s recent shortlisting style content suited to multiple are compelling and reflect the for UK City of Culture status. usage that would service websites, opportunities they provide for Despite not winning the ultimate ambassadors, Visit Scotland, investment, a better quality of life accolade the process of having to traditional and online media, and what we are doing which is new express our cultural credentials and brand social media and other key and innovative. also providing a platform to deliver stakeholders (with light editing). In this information was very useful. The Dundee Brand Book and User addition to news releases to support With the help of PR specialists Toolkit includes a “tone of voice” announcements, these blog style we have gained real traction in guide and some helpful words in a essays would “wrap up” the unique the press and from the waterfront simple set of word wheels to assist Dundee visitor experience themed developments in particular in the partners and those working with the into food and drink, shopping, property development community. brand to achieve a consistent tone culture, music and so on, placing of voice. As the city is changing the visitor at the heart of the and developing rapidly this is also experience. being reviewed. It is not a radical Public and media relations are an rethink which is required but subtle

www.dundee.com In order to create further hooks to achieve national media coverage a strategy of applying for awards has been developed. As we become aware of awards via various institutions and organisations the city identifies those which we could apply for... So far this strategy proved successful and gaining a number of awards has stimulated further credibility with the waterfront’s key audiences as well as good PR. The PR appears in the relevant trade journals and is picked up by specialist writers. Key audiences such as property developers, support intermediaries i.e. lawyers and architects all become more aware of what is happening in the city. The Waterfront has won several awards in the last 12 months leading to a number of national press stories:

www.dundee.com Dundee Ambassadors Telling their stories and helping us to tell the city story

The idea of recruiting ambassadors ambassador roles together. The next messages we feel they could help to promote the city was conceived ambassador get together will bring us communicate. We have also during the refresh as a way to together two key assets the city has discussed letting them know in promote our local heroes and gain in relation to the music offer and the advance or as soon as we can of any credibility for the city through the new food offer. This will give us the major stories about the city so they connections inspiring individuals chance to get them talking in their can respond in an informed way if have with the city. Their stories circles about the city’s offer – where they are contacted by the media. are told via the press and on our music and food fit within the city’s This has been useful when events website. Expanding their role and culture and where it fits within our or changes occur which could be engaging them more with the brand narrative. We have a number perceived negatively on first sight. campaign is also been an area of of music industry executives and current development. musicians in our ambassador network and they will be invited to We now aim to host at least 2 host this event – also in attendance ambassador events every year will be some of the new restaurant where we bring our ambassadors owners. together in an informal format so they can network and create their We are also developing own ways of working together to ambassador communications further promote Dundee. The idea with an e-newsletter being the being that many of them are well first of these new methods to connected within the media or be rolled out. The e-newsletter creative networks and we should provides the ambassadors with give them the forum in which to updates on the campaign generally explore how they can extend their and any information and key

www.dundee.com An example of this would asked by media all were able to New ambassadors have reflected be: Dundee Airport recently respond positively, helping ensure some of the new focus within the experienced changes in the a potentially negative story was marketing of Dundee. Most recent operator/flight schedule. In reported positively, supported by recruits include the Director of the advance of this being announced quotes from our ambassadors new V&A Dundee project and a to the media the campaign were national musician. Both will help Developing further activities able to provide the ambassadors us turn up the volume on these for our ambassadors so they with a full explanation as to why areas of the city’s cultural offer. feel more engaged will remain changes taking place and when an action point going forward.

Ged Grimes Creative Irvine Miskell-Reid Retail John O’Rourke Media Lorraine Wilson Media Brian Cox Creative Jane Adams Business Lorraine Kelly Media David & Michael Romilly Computer Business Sir Philip Cohen Life Sciences Tom Simpson Musician Kirsten Dunnett Creative/Business Philip Long Arts Murray Chalmers Creative/Business Hilary Grant Creative Irene McGrath Education Sophie George Digital Media Les Banks Business Tim Allen Business The View Creative Steve Parkes Research & Innovation Services Lesley Riddoch Business Louise Smith Andy Lothian Business Jason Swedlow Prof. of Quantitative Cell Biology Dorothy Hegarty Business Andrew Batchelor Social Media Peter Hadden Business Ricky Ross Musician Gary Robertson Creative The Law Musicians Martel Maxwell Media Prof. Pete Downes Academia Ian Lamb Media Haley Scanlan Textiles Sophia George Gary Robertson Lorraine Kelly

www.dundee.com The Visual Narrative

Dundee’s setting is unique and activity and create new jobs and we are aware of the power of business opportunities. As part the iconic image. Creating new of this agenda, the Scottish Cities brand photography and images Alliance has recently worked in was one of the first elements of partnership with Dundee to create expenditure in the original refresh some new imagery for the city – of the brand development. This mainly for the purpose of attracting brand photography continues to investment. Some examples of these be used. Despite the changes to are included as they also relate to the city’s landscape the images we our original photography brief about commissioned remain impactful as images which are timeless and work we created timeless images which on their own without the needs for reflected the city’s brand. words or captions.

We are now at the stage where we can use new imagery to reflect some of the major changes in the city and are looking at how we address this within our image bank.

Dundee is a partner in the Scottish Cities Alliance, a collaboration of Scotland’s seven cities facilitated by the Scottish Government. It aims to encourage the cities to work together to attract external investment, stimulate economic

www.dundee.com We are also in the process of exploring the appointment of a “photographer in residence” for the city as a way to expand on our image bank whilst ensuring the images retain the same tone throughout. We hope this project will be a joint one and funded via a number of local agencies and businesses.

www.dundee.com Key audiences Whose Brand is it anyway?

Our original audience for the • This is about stakeholder and campaign’s refreshed brand was audience engagement and young people, especially those involvement and how we govern living in the central belt of Scotland and manage the brand where negative perceptions of the Are you talking to me? city remained. The language and • Who are our priority audiences tone of our activities in this period during this action plan period? were aimed at this audience group. The perceptions of this group are Doing better with less changing and our focus in relation • Using new methods and tools to the strategic communication to deliver with less resources needs have changed as a result of but more impact, including other key strategies such as tourism digital tools. Reviewing existing and the waterfront development. activity which might be done It is for this reason that during the more efficiently and effectively development of this Action Plan we need to consider carefully who Staying Current should now be our target audiences. • The city is changing rapidly - Current Challenges and Paths are we reflecting this effectively, for the Future in an exciting and engaging way

Dundee has a number of key What’s the difference? challenges still to address with • Essentially the evaluation regard to image and perception. and impact of the brand and Developing the city brand and associated marketing activity associated marketing will address Are we creating interest in our this to some extent and this action brand, are we of interest to the plan will focus on the actions world? required to address a number of these.

www.dundee.com Whose Brand is it Anyway?

Beyond participation - effective with our strategy i.e. those men public sector, we are developing stakeholder involvement in brand and women at the top of their some actions around a constructive management and co-delivery of organisations and companies method which engages our initiatives. with big influence within the city, stakeholders not just in terms of we also have those who actually our activities but also as active As part of the ongoing development implement and hold budgets for the supporters and funders. of the city’s branding the need marketing and communication of to engage more effectively with their organisations. The idea is, over the next 12 our stakeholders and for them months, to look at developing and to utilise our brand in their own Now sitting around the table at the implementing a “City Bond”. This marketing has been recognised. planning and delivery meetings means setting up a programme of Some development has taken place are people who can identify where activities to engage our stakeholders to address this. The creation of projects will work better together further and invite them to become the CityLogo Local Support Group and where collectively we can better recognised proactive advocates included the identification of local articulate the city’s brand. of the city by adding to the funds stakeholders with a strong need for available to promote and market the city branding to be effective. To date our collaboration within Dundee. By purchasing a city bond This was further refined to identify the city has been informal and as they are showing their belief in the who within these organisations or the sole funder of activities the city as it transforms and helping businesses was most responsible for council has taken the lead and final us to promote this internally and supplementing our city messages decisions on activities in close externally. City bond holders are with their own - i.e. the practitioners collaboration with our partners. proud, proactive, passionate and within these organisations involved positive. As the need to keep the volume in marketing, communications, of output and activity up in terms public relations etc. of the city and its presence in This now means that as well as the wider world at a time when having the “City Fathers “on board resources are becoming harder and harder to secure within the 16

www.dundee.com This concept is still being the timescales of the Urbact budget or resource and we are sciences sector for 17 years. It is developed and will be consulted project. working in partnership with Visit our opinion that there remains on and adapted to suit, however Scotland, (in this context we refer a need for these brands and it is other areas which have created New ways of improving to them as the super brand) which important to ensure that these sub such a “membership” scheme have community engagement is the national visitor agency for brands ensure that their sectoral offered the following return on that Another action aims to Scotland, to promote the city and messages are also promoting the investment: encourage key local people to its tourism offer. Other “super” city messages and are using the • Opportunity to attend a series act as ambassadors for the city. brands we have to consider within overall brand to develop their of networking events where The focus is on those who are our own branding strategy and proposition as no investment they will hear first-hand about champions in their communities so how we align them include V&A decision in taken in isolation. the city’s development and that they understand the messages Dundee and the recently attained All of our sub brands that future plans the city is creating and why and UNESCO City of Design Award. exist within the city now link will also work within their own to the overall city brand where • Access to city collateral In relation to our investment communities to express these and appropriate. • Being part of an alliance of offer the Scottish Government get feedback for us. So far this people actively promoting has funded the Scottish Cities has included the recruitment of the city Alliance to enable the 7 Scottish Super Brands the city’s youngest ambassador Cities to work more collaboratively e.g. Visit Scotland, Scottish Cities Alliance, • The opportunity to take part to date. Work is in place at the Scottish Development International to ensure we maximise the in consultations on activity and moment to identify others who investment opportunity Scotland focus can act as ambassadors in their has to offer. This has enabled us communities so that we can It is envisaged that participants in to further define our investment recognise and celebrate these. the city bond scheme will pay an message within a Scottish context Dundee Brand One City, Many Discoveries annual contribution based on the Super Brand and Sub Brands but also ensure an understanding number of employees they have of The city has aligned its approach of our own city brand at this between £500 and £5000. with a number of national national level. strategies and is using our brand to The Local Support Group and Sub branding beneath the city deliver the Dundee message within Sub Brands the Action Plan are a strategic brand, focusing on a range of these. The tourism offer that the e.g. BioDundee, Locate Dundee, and collaborative methodology niche audiences is well developed Energy Dundee, Digital Dundee city has now developed would not for ensuring that the actions are within the city. Initiatives such be successful if we were promoting implemented and measured and as BioDundee and its brand have it by ourselves, in terms of either will also take this forward beyond been in place to promote our life

www.dundee.com There’s only one “Dundee” Brand are encouraging all information aimed at visitors to acknowledge the brand ident One of the important things we have had in some way. We are assisting this with to define for the city’s branding is where the development of a strong image bank, it fits in relation to other city and council our brand “tone of voice” and sharing brands. When should the city brand be our brand book with everyone without used? restrictions. Involvement with the brand can range from the inclusion of our To us it simple – where we are talking logo, to a joint marketing initiative. But about our city as a place/destination then common to all should be a strong and we use the city brand. This however may consistent way of talking about the city. not be clear to some of our stakeholders so we intend including in the new improved brand book some guidance. Why and where to use our brand and visual identity and frequently asked questions.

The Dundee Brand in essence is our city’s reputation in the world and within other city brands we should still be conveying the “Dundee brand “values. Where we use the city’s ident and visual representation is also relevant here and we again think this should be to show cohesiveness in the promotion of our city, especially to visitors. To this end we

www.dundee.com Are You Talking to Me?

Audiences, be they visitors, We have prioritised these generic it is a living and thriving place, as investors or students are not messages to be more relevant the infrastructure and development homogeneous in nature but the to certain audiences and where plots become available. This information that they want often is. necessary use niche marketing to requires a new approach to a new They want to know where to sleep, do this. audience of investors willing to where to eat, what to see, how to get work with us in relation to our to the city, how to travel around the Our Key Audiences vision of the city and its Waterfront. city, insider tips etc. They want to Visitors – We describe these as It requires us to be consistent in our know what the city is about, what internal (local people who are promotion of the changes and also makes us different and essentially looking to do things in their city) ensure we have considered all the what we have to offer them. and external visitors (people from new audiences including investors, outside of the city) – a key audience property developers, intermediaries, There is of course a need to “hook” given the expected increase due to financial community, end users etc. their interest and this often requires the development of V&A Dundee. a much more focused message It is estimated that within the first This audience needs the overall targeted at the specific groups in year of the V&A opening the city positive Dundee message to create the first instance. We need to define will host 350,000 new visitors. confidence and interest followed our messages so they resonate by a specialised message and we with these key target groups and Investors - We are at an important are making inroads within this create an affinity for our city and point in the city’s history as the community which can be witnessed what it offers. Given the current new regenerated Waterfront moves by increased enquiries. budgetary constraints this requires towards completion. It is a vital time us to undertake some prioritisation for us to be at our most effective in of audiences and further refining terms of our promotion of strategic so that our call to action to live, communications in relation to our work, play or invest here is more city. We need to attract the people compelling and gets us talked about to create the waterfront, ensuring in these groups.

www.dundee.com Doing Better With Less

Use of new tools and methods to helped define the new brief and a experiences of what our city has strengthen our reach and impact tender will shortly be released for to offer. and create more value. this work package. Awards Galore – the strategy A social media strategy is also Digital and social media and applied to the Waterfront and its required to be developed which links methods awards generation is just as valid strategically to all our objectives in other areas such as visitor These are key tactics for any and audiences. This is also to be attractions, hotels, businesses etc. organisation tasked with strategic defined and actions identified in this It is important that we encourage communications or marketing plan period. Social media will also our local industry to apply for in this day and age. However link into the new website. Continual awards and other recognition they are only communication development of the new Dundee wherever they can as this not only channels and must come after App is also required. validates quality to some extent but the definition of messages and The value of PR is important in also creates valuable PR. propositions. What they do require relation to our brand. It provides is new methods of communication some level of independence in thinking and a strategic approach terms of the city’s credentials to the implementation of activity. which can have a higher value than The most fundamental area of an advertisement in the minds this for this plan period is the of audiences - as it appears from redevelopment of the Dundee.com an independent source. We have website. The original website is seen to date that identifying a now dated and requires a refresh PR strategy which sits alongside based on the new priorities for the our other activity is key and can campaign going forward. add significant value. It will be A workshop of the local support important to attract in journalists group with a website expert, and bloggers to write first hand Professor Simone O’Callaghan, has

www.dundee.com Integrating the existing city exposure of events and we can help The city’s largest event – the to the North (Victorian Music Hall) brand more effectively with the create more PR. Christmas Light Night is funded and the river setting to the south. marketing of large scale projects from the city’s branding budget. and big events There are now some groups which This is because the event is not Having such a space offers us have come together which make only the largest in terms of the the opportunity to create events As budgets across the city reduce working together more possible people it attracts in one evening which can further define our as a result of cuts and the current including the Dundee’s Events but it provides an opportunity to sense of place and add to our economic climate it is important Strategy Group, and the Tourism work with the local community to city branding. We need to define that we are consistent in our Group. showcase local talent and work and explore means of using this messaging as this is the most with them in terms of promoting space for events and creating In addition we are working with our effective way of ensuring the brand the positive messages the city new events which give it meaning PR resource to create the “curation is recognisable and has a value has to our citizens and visitors to both internally to our citizens and of the city”. It is about placing an proposition within the minds the event. The communications externally to our visitors. emphasis on editing and curating of its audience. Events can be strategy for the event includes the best of Dundee’s events and huge attractors of people to the promotion of the brand at a experiences (new and existing) to city and the way in which events national level and across a variety illustrate the diversity of what the are promoted involves lots of of channels. resource, marketing and promotion. city has to offer. The intention is Including the city sell in an to ensure that Dundee’s unique One of the major new assets to integrated way with such events offer is strong and undiluted. This come out of the regeneration of makes sense. However this in many emphasis would take priority over the city’s Waterfront is a large new cases is difficult to manage without creating new activities or events, civic space. This new space is right a budget to fund (sponsor) events but rather working to amplify what in the very heart of the city and is and projects. is already going on in the city. This often referred to currently as our strategy is conducive to ensuring “front garden”. Sitting as it will However we are looking at ways to we use our budget as effectively as adjacent to the new V&A Dundee it do this in relation to the existing we can in whilst in a period of cost is a key piece of landscape for the channels. One of these is better cutting within our budgets. city. It is also a large events space. exposure of events - by partnering Its setting will be spectacular - with with the city’s brand there is more the V&A to the west, the Caird Hall

www.dundee.com Staying Current

We’ve already talked about changing audience priorities but there is also a requirement to ensure our messages reflect the changes which are taking place in the city. The way the city looks is changing – we need to reflect this in our photography. Our messages are changing – our offer is changing – our inspirations are changing. We need to reflect all this within our brand or we become irrelevant.

A Brand Responsive to Change

One example of this is in terms of the by local investors and restaurateurs as is the inclusion now of leisure and city’s food and drink sector. In the past opposed to the bigger chains. We now business tourism. This provides a great we have been straightforward in this need to create stories around our food opportunity for developing the brand information as we didn’t have a positive and drink offer and its diversity and further within this sector. It is also a story to tell but did need to provide quality - unique from other cities because huge opportunity for us as a city in information. We therefore provide listings of this. Opportunities such as the terms of investment potential over the of restaurants and eating places in Projected Geographical Status of coming years - as the Waterfront order to show the current offer and be Dundee Cake (as awarded to Champagne developments progress and key assets practical in assisting visitors... etc.) and other local quality produce such as V&A Dundee open. Whatever and specialities such a strawberries, the final proposition is in terms of However as the city becomes recognised raspberries, blackberries, potatoes, the many offers with which we target as a place which is developing asparagus and marmalade to name but visitors the brand should be first and opportunities and a growing tourism/ a few also offer great narratives we can foremost. We have started this process leisure destination, local investors have develop which align to our brand and by including it within our visitor created a unique selling point for the create authentic experiences and local information centre, on our wayfinding city by creating a strong restaurant specialities for our audiences. signs and on our bus stops and travel and café culture around local produce information. and unique restaurants. In the last 6 Dundee key sectors remain largely the months alone 16 new eating places same as when the original refresh of have opened. All of these have been the branding took place. The exception

www.dundee.com What’s the Difference? Evaluating what we do

Evaluation tools for city marketing: and stakeholders that we are the economic development of the Marketing by its nature is difficult essentially doing something right city. It also measures from each to evaluate, but it is necessary to with our branding and strategic period of the report any change in examine how we can do this more communications as we are making perception as a score which can be and more. Many of the social media inroads in raising awareness of our compared and the change measured. and digital platforms provide a range city and changing perceptions. This has been a key measure and of analytics that can tell you how a memorable statistic we can use As budgets get tighter justifying successful you have been in reaching with our politicians and stakeholders expenditure on a City Brand will people. It is a little harder to gauge to make the connection between become more important. We know changes in perception or whether the work we do and its impact on that as the image and perception of the awareness a communication has image and perception and ultimately our city is changing it is affecting created is extended into an action. the economic development of the the levels of interest, enquiries are However there are some tools such city. In addition the fact that our increasing, more businesses are as the Dundee App and Google digital media efforts can actually be starting; record numbers of people Analytics which have created some measured is very useful. are visiting the city than ever before. information around this. In addition Each action in our Local Action Plan we are aligning our bi-annual image But how do we connect this to our will have a measure of success next and perception study more to the branding activity? to it so we can attempt to correlate campaign activity. This provides We will continue to undertake an our activities to results and impacts. us with benchmark data that we image and perception study every can compare with the results of 2 years – this helps to illustrate previous year’s studies. It addresses that our reputation and other’s the overall image and perception of knowledge of what the city is like the city in Scotland. The last study is positively changing. With this indicated that positive perceptions evidence it is possible to make the of the city had increased, providing connection to how this is affecting some comfort to the politicians

www.dundee.com Dundee’s Collaboration Model a shared vision for the city through the Dundee Partnership. The graph below Prior to the involvement of the Dundee shows how this collaboration has worked in Brand in the CityLogo URBACT an organisational sense. project participation has been a flexible collaboration model rooted in the tradition This is now supported at the centre of our of other partnership projects within the work by a collegiate group of marketing city. We have no formal constituted body experts formed from the Local Support but rather a gathering of the representatives Group which has developed into the Dundee with a shared interest in progression and Brand Alliance Group.

www.dundee.com Set of Actions

Following our engagement in CityLogo we recognise that the City Development Department no longer work in isolation but has formed the Dundee Brand Alliance Group with other key stakeholders and they sit right in the middle of the process. This is part of the on going legacy of the URBACT project.

Whose Brand is it Anyway?

Objective Actions Lead Agency Timescale Measure of Success

Effective Stakeholder Facilitation of Local No. of meetings and LSG/DCC Ongoing engagement Support Group actions completed

Develop the City Bond Launch /Roll out of the DCC 12 months Concept programme. No signing up

Community LSG 12 months Identify city champions Engagement

Alignment with other national promotional Report created and new activity. Undertake LSG 6 months actions identified review and report to group

Review and refresh Creation of new brand of Brand book and DCC/LSG 12 months book and circulation of toolkit and removal of communication strategy barriers to use

www.dundee.com Set of Actions

Are You Talking to Me?

Objective Actions Lead Agency Timescale Measure of Success

Definitions and Segmentation and New validated target prioritisation of target LSG 3 months prioritisation exercise audience audiences

Definition of strong Adaption of campaign and messages/ new LSG 3 months messaging content

Input to programme of Waterfront Investor investor information DCC/SE 6 months marketing package clearly /messages for aligned to city messages Waterfront Plots

www.dundee.com Set of Actions

Doing Better With Less

Objective Actions Lead Agency Timescale Measure of Success

Digital and social Refresh of DCC/LSG 6 months Higher visitors/hits etc media Dundee.com website

Development of social Integrated and innovative LSG 12 months media strategy programme of social media

Further development and improvements of Dundee DCC Ongoing Increased no. of users APP

Effective engagement Better communication and Event Marketing with range of cultural and LSG Ongoing joined up thinking events groups

Curation of the city – Higher profiling of city editing and curating the PR Agency 6 months events and clear narrative best of Dundee’s events and promotion

Assisting in the development and LSG/DCC 18 months No. of events planned programme for new Green Civic Space

PR Strategy and Higher media profile and encouragement and LSG/DCC Ongoing award winning businesses assistance re awards etc.

www.dundee.com Set of Actions

Staying Current

Objective Actions Lead Agency Timescale Measure of Success

New photography Commissioning of new photos and Responding to change LSG/DCC 9 months New impactful images development of “Photographer in residence”

Development of Pick up of new stories by new stories - niche LSG/DCC Ongoing media itineraries, etc

Further development of the tourism Further branded tourism DCC Ongoing marketing activity and collateral alignment to the brand

www.dundee.com Set of Actions

What’s the Difference

Objective Actions Lead Agency Timescale Measure of Success

Improved image and Biannual market Increase in positive image DCC/SE 6 months perception of Dundee research measure

Monitoring of social Increasing social media DCC Ongoing media presence and activity

Increased positive media Higher media profile DCC Ongoing profile