Brand Awareness
It’s always dangerous to base an argument on a single data point…but, it’s so tempting when it validates what one has been saying for years. And, as we celebrate 29 years of consulting in the Destination Marketing space, a new research finding looks mighty shiny to this sector veteran’s eyes.
Advance Travel & Tourism recently released results from their 2024 Travel Outlook Survey in which Destination Marketing Organizations were asked to name their top priorities. I know the study results could have been skewed by how the question was phrased or who actually participated in the survey. Indeed, the study was limited to just southeastern States in the U.S.
Regardless, 40% of respondents replied that “increasing Brand awareness” was their most important priority, eclipsing “increasing Visitation” at 32%. And, for a sector known for decades as being focused on “heads in beds,” that’s a pretty substantial shift in awareness and focus. Not that it shouldn’t have happened. But what took so long? And why do a third of the respondents choose to remain in the past?
It’s not that heads in beds aren’t important (they are, because these are generally higher value consumers than daytrippers)…it’s just that focusing on numbers ignores the tenets from Simon Sinek’s breakthrough book, “Start with Why.” In it, Simon shares that the most successful companies start with “Why” rather than “What,” and it’s an example I’ve been sharing with DMO Boards across the nation for over a decade.
“Heads in Beds” is a “What.” To achieve the true success of which Simon speaks, DMOs should start with “Why” (to enhance Quality of Place, Job Creation, new Business Start-ups, generate non-resident tax revenue, etc.). We do this (“the How”) by developing a compelling story (the Brand) that inspires a visit (“the What”). The destination still achieves the heads in beds that some prioritize, but building and nurturing a compelling Brand produces a much larger impact than the transactional to which some still cling.
There can’t be a better example than Detroit, just coming off hosting the insanely successful NFL Draft. And, while Visit Detroit was clearly instrumental in bidding for an event that would likely fill every hotel room in town, that’s not why the DMO pursued the event. They put in the time and investment to achieve the opportunity to showcase the community on one of the biggest televised stages in the nation. They did it to change the narrative of a community that, to this day, has a lingering perception of being dangerous; an image that has dogged them since the ‘70s.
Let me ask you, did Detroit look dangerous to you last week?
In a recent Wall Street Journal story, Visit Detroit CEO Claude Molinari was described as someone with “mission to change the very way you think about the city. Forget the reputation. He wants you thinking about music, theater and world-class museums, cool architecture, parks and public squares, three casinos, four professional sports teams, a rich history of innovation and the deep blue water of the Detroit River.”
And that perfectly describes today’s DMO CEO. Because when the Brand sings, cash registers ring.
‘Til next time,
Bill
