DESTINATION BRANDING, NATION BRANDING, PLACE BRANDING WHERE SHOULD BALI BRANDING TAKE A POSITION?

When I imagined Bali having a branding, I directly imagine that Bali should do something to create its own branding by using benchmark “country branding”. It is not city branding or island branding. The vision of Bali branding must be similar to the way of a country making a destination branding like Malaysia, Singapore, India and other countries. In my opinion, the basic reason to think of it is an opportunity to enable Bali to do it. Nowadays, Bali reputation, its potential, positioning Bali in the future is also a certain kind of initiative that does not run comprehensively the branding of Indonesia.

Nevertheless, the destination branding or place branding should be advisable to understand completely because it is a strategy that will take cost and time. If it is not correct and accurate to execute then we will waste money and time.
For example, one of our understandings about branding a place or destination branding made only for or through tourism. In fact, in the destination branding strategy, at least, there are six significant element formed destination branding or as prerequisite to create good destination and tourism as one of component beside people, governance, export, investment or immigration, and culture & heritage.

A concept of destination branding, is based on passion and interesting identity that is related due to many things that will make everyone easier having association with the place. Destination branding is convinced to have a power to change a perception and the way of thinking to a place or destination including observing the difference between one place and other places to be chosen as a destination.
Not long before, Bali had a branding with tagline “Bali is My Life” which was unsuccessful and no impact at all from that branding campaign. Nonetheless, at the 29th of Bali Art Festival, Yudhoyono, The Indonesian President had launched new branding “Bali. Santhi Santhi Santhi”. One of the main foundations of the branding is a response from the native Balinese people amount to 900 people most of them expect that the best description of Bali is spiritually with temple visual. I think undoubtedly that Bali, on history, has a magnificent characteristic and uniqueness combine with nature, art, culture and spirituality. That was a tagline “Island of the God” which is very legendary. Yet, the question is should the idea of spirituality be executed as an icon Santhi Santhi Santhi? According to my point of view, international people need some extra effort to know and understand that symbolic meaning as a communication on Bali image in the same manner as a branding symbol with awareness.

The important branding that is symbolized with logo or symbol is to visualize idea and desires become an icon that is able “to picture” or “to describe” the desires. This symbol or icon will function as “awareness campaign” which has a positive association, imaginative and understandable. For example The Incredible India campaign that was held on December 2002 focused on the idea of Yoga, Ayurveda and other spiritual concept from India.

As Lavanya Anirudh, account director Ogilvy and Mather India said to Dow Jones & Company: “Yoga, we own it but have never flaunted it, Bali, and also other Asian country, are flaunting yoga and meditation with their spas. But we have had it for centuries and centuries. And the real Ayurveda is in India. We decided to showcase all of that and we layered the entire campaign with spirituality.” The word “Incredible” is used for representing the spirituality itself because it has sound and very wide meaning that is understood by many people as “great thing”. When she asked to the society about the campaign of “Incredible India”, she said, “I just keep hearing that ‘incredible’ is absolutely the apt word to describe India. The country isn’t perfect; everything isn’t laid out for you on a platter. Yes, we have cows on the narrow streets, but this is mixed with some amazing stuff.” A big reason is that India’s Ministry of Tourism, with its subtle and charming “Incredible India” campaign, is pushing the great Indian story effectively.

After India consistently presents the campaign “Incredible India” for almost 5 years, the result is very exciting for the economic and India tourism, added by the comment from the expert of world branding. “I’m surprised by India’s exclusion from the rising star category as perceptions are changing with the country moving up from a spiritual order to a new energy tech-oriented sphere,” said Santosh Desai, a brand analyst at The Future Group. On the “10 Top Country Brand Ranking 2006” by Future Brand, India is on the 10 and is the one and only from Asia.

Success story always makes me interested. It becomes a reflection and motivation to set out the better one. Thus, we usually know that destination branding is used as a destination management strategy. Moreover, there are many success stories that we can observe as a benchmark. Another advantage is if we are successful with destination branding, it becomes a great opportunity to present our concept to some countries on forum or seminar about destination branding or sustainable tourism. It is made by World Tourism Organization by inviting Malaysia to present “Malaysia, Truly Asia” which is very successful in some countries and becomes a luxurious place to visit. To build a bridge over the identity of Bali which is very famous (nature, art, culture and spirituality) and at the moment becomes a vision for Bali destination branding is not an easy matter. It is needed to study more in depth, a sectoral thinking, a plan of internal and external oriented campaign from all society, and also a forthcoming sustainable plan. Therefore, it is to instill awareness for every people getting involved on the Bali branding campaign. Please remember that the meaning of “campaign” is to get a sympathy and “to win the heart” of people. No matter what they are.

This writing is made because of a process to understand destination branding since 4 years ago which is very interesting and apparently keep growing dynamically. According to the observation, it is clear enough that destination branding as a must-to-do choice because of the benefit. If we still think that destination branding is a hard and expensive to do than we think about the extraordinarily uncommon impact, we must set out to make a continuous strategy. Moreover, destination branding must be read not only for the government but also private sector and all community. So, their involvement to form and as a part of branding campaign considers important. When Jogja, for the first time, launched an icon “Jogja Never Ending Asia”, the private sector through non-Jogja citizen community called Jogja alumnus who studied and became an official in Jogja by giving fund is really needed.
For me, the ideal implementation of branding Bali can be next 2 years, or next 5 years, but it must be well-prepared and structural. So, it becomes more stable and effective, at least for the next ten years. Let’s rule the strategy of destination branding. Because branding campaign is expensive, take time, so we must consistent, build an integrated link and always back it with quality. We will be success.

1 comment

1. 

   papa

   Posted on July 10, 2007

   Surely Bali needs a good brand, so does Brand Greece