DESTINATION BRANDING, NATION BRANDING, PLACE BRANDING DIMANA BRANDING BALI BERADA?

Ketika membayangkan Bali memiliki sebuah branding, saya langsung membayangkan yang harus dilakukan Bali dalam brandingnya menggunakan benchmark “country branding”. Bukan city branding atau island branding. Visi branding Bali harus sama dengan cara sebuah Negara melakukan destination branding seperti Malaysia, Singapura, India dan Negara lainnya. Alasan yang mendasar bagi saya memikirkan hal tersebut adalah peluang Bali yang sangat memungkinkan untuk melakukan itu. Reputasi Bali selama ini, potensi yang dimilikinya, positioning Bali di masa datang juga sekaligus menjadi semacam inisiatif atas belum terselenggaranya branding Indonesia yang comprehensive. Namun untuk menentukan itu pun sebuah proses studi dan riset harus dilalui dulu.

Pengertian destination branding atau place branding seyogianya dipahami juga oleh kita secara utuh karena ia adalah sebuah strategi yang akan menghabiskan biaya dan waktu. Jika kurang tepat dan cermat mengeksekusinya maka kita akan kehilangan biaya dan waktu dengan sia-sia. Pijakan branding sebuah tempat atau destination branding juga dilakukan tidak hanya untuk atau melalui pariwisata saja. Dalam strategi destination branding di banyak tempat setidaknya ada enam elemen penting pembentuk destination branding atau prasyarat terciptanya destinasi yang baik dan pariwisata adalah salah satu komponennya. Komponen yang lainnya adalah people, governance, export, investment/immigration, culture & heritage.

Sebuah konsep destination branding, didasari oleh passion dan identitas yang menarik yang saling berhubungan dengan berbagai hal yang akan memudahkan orang memiliki asosiasi dengan tempat tersebut. Destination branding diyakini memiliki kekuatan untuk merubah presepsi dan merubah cara pandang seseorang terhadap suatu tempat atau tujuan termasuk melihat perbedaan sebuah tempat dengan tempat lainnya untuk dipilih sebagai tujuan.

Belum lama rasanya Bali memiliki branding dengan tagline “Bali is My Life” yang belum teruji kesuksesannya dan belum terasa benar dampak dari kampanye branding tersebut namun ketika membuka Festival Kesenian Bali ke XXIX beberapa waktu lalu, Bapak Yudhoyono Presiden RI telah melaunching branding Bali yang baru “Bali. Santhi Santhi Santhi”. Pijakan utama dari branding tersebut salah satunya adalah keinginan responden masyarakat Bali asli sejumlah 900 orang yang prosentase terbesarnya mengharapkan bahwa penggambaran Bali yang paling baik adalah paradise dengan pendekatan spiritual yang divisualkan dengan pura. Branding Bali yang baru divisualisasikan dengan gambar segi tiga bertuliskan Bali Shanti Shanti Shanti yang merupakan semangat dari Tri Murti dan Tri Hitakarana. Shanti yang berarti damai tertulis tiga kali berarti mengalir semangat kedamaian dan keharmonisan. Tapi jangan mencoba mengamati tulisan BALI yang digambarkan disana mengesankan tulisan Arab karena barangkali ada alasan lain yang melatarinya.

Saya kira merupakan hal yang tidak diragukan lagi bahwa Bali dalam sejarahnya memiliki karakteristik dan keunikan yang tiada duanya kombinasi antara alam, seni, budaya dan spiritualitas. Hingga muncul tagline “Island of the God” yang sangat legendaris. Namun pertanyaannya, haruskah gagasan spiritual yang disampaikan responden branding Bali ini dieksekusi secara vulgar menjadi icon Santhi Santhi Santhi? Yang menurut saya perlu extra effort bagi pihak eksternal memahami dan menangkap makna simbolik itu sebagai komunikasi pencitraan Bali sebagaimana sebuah simbol branding memiliki fungsi awareness.

Pentingnya branding yang dilambangkan dengan logo atau simbol adalah memvisualkan gagasan dan cita-cita menjadi sebuah icon yang mampu “mengimajinasikan” atau “menggambarkan” cita-cita tersebut. Simbol atau icon ini akan berfungsi sebagai “awareness campaign” yang memiliki asosiasi positip, imajinatif dan mudah dipahami. Sebagai contoh The Incredible India campaign yang dimulai December 2002 difokuskan pada gagasan yoga, Ayurveda dan konsep spiritual lain yang asli dari India.

Seperti disampaikan oleh Lavanya Anirudh, account director Ogilvy and Mather India pada 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.”

Kata “Incredible” dipakai untuk mewakili spiritualitas dimaksud karena memiliki sound atau makna luas yang dipahami banyak pihak eksternal sebagai “sesuatu yang luar biasa”. Ketika dia bertanya kepada masyarakat apa yang mereka pikirkan dengan kampanye “Incredible India”, dia mengatakan, “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.

Setelah India secara konsisten membawakan kampanye “Incredible India” tersebut selama hampir 5 tahun resultnya sangat menggembirakan bagi perekonomian dan pariwisata India, termasuk juga komentar pakar branding dunia. “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,” kata Santosh Desai, seorang brand analyst di The Future Group. Dalam “10 Top Country Brand Ranking 2006” oleh Future Brand, India menempati urutan ke 10 dan merupakan Negara Asia satu-satunya yang masuk 10 terbaik.

Success story selalu menarik buat saya. Ia menjadi semacam cermin dan motivasi untuk menuju yang lebih baik. Maka ketika kita mengetahui begitu lazimnya kini destination branding dipakai sebagai strategi destination management, telah banyak success story yang dapat kita cermati sebagai benchmark. Keuntungan lain jika kita sukses dengan model destination branding yang kita implementasikan adalah kesempatan mempresentasikan konsepnya di berbagai Negara pada forum-forum mengenai destination branding ataupun sustainable tourism sebagai model yang sukses. Seperti yang dilakukan World Tourism Organization dengan mengundang Malaysia untuk mempresentasikan “Malaysia, Truly Asia” yang sukses itu di berbagai negara dan hal itu menjadi promosi sebuah tempat yang elegan.

Menjembatani identitas Bali yang telah sangat dikenal (alam, seni, budaya dan spiritualitas) dengan kekinian yang merupakan dinamika waktu menjadi sebuah visi dalam destination branding Bali memang bukan perkara mudah. Diperlukan studi mendalam dan pemikiran lintas sektoral dan perencanaan kampanye yang memiliki orientasi internal (untuk masyarakat di Bali sendiri) juga eksternal (untuk masyarakat luar) secara bersama serta proyeksi kedepan yang berkesinambungan. Sehingga terbentuk sebuah kesadaran bahwa peran setiap orang menjadi penting dalam kampanye branding Bali. Harus diingat pula arti “kampanye” itu sendiri yaitu untuk mendapat simpati dan “to win the heart” of people. Siapapun dia.

Tulisan ini ada karena sebuah proses memahami destination branding semenjak 4 tahun lalu yang sangat menarik dan ternyata terus berkembang secara dinamis. Dari hasil pengamatan jelas bahwa destination branding dari statusnya sebagai sebuah pilihan menjadi sebuah keharusan dikarenakan manfaatnya. Jika kita masih berpikir sulit dan mahal tentang destination branding diperbandingkan dengan dampaknya yang luar biasa seharusnya kita melakukan siasat dengan bersinergi. Bahwa destination branding harus dibaca bukan hanya tugas pemerintah saja namun private sector dan seluruh lapisan masyarakat sehingga keterlibatannya dalam membentuk dan menjadi bagian branding campaign sangat penting. Ketika Jogja pertamakali meluncurkan icon “Jogja Never Ending Asia” peran private sector melalui komunitas masyarkata non-Jogja yang disebut alumni Jogja yaitu mereka yang pernah bersekolah dan menjadi pejabat di Jogja sangat penting dengan turut memberikan funding bagi terciptanya destination branding Jogja.

Bagi saya, implementasi branding Bali yang ideal tidak harus tergesa, mungkin dua tahun lagi, mungkin lima tahun lagi, tetapi dipersiapkan secara matang dan terstruktur sehingga lebih mantap dan efektif setidaknya diproyeksikan untuk sepuluh tahun kedepan. AYIP

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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.

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MUDDLED THINKING ABOUT BRANDING IN BALI

Why, oh why, do people responsible for boosting tourism sink so low in the intellectual ladder when it comes to branding? The latest case of Branding Cluelessness comes from the Island of the Gods, aka Bali is My Life aka The World’s Place of Harmonious Peace or it could be Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.
Confused already? The three/four are taglines referring to Bali. It was and is also known popularly as the Island of the Gods. Then some idiot convinced the government to part with lots of money and came up with Bali is My Life. Now comes the totoally moronic The World’s Place of Harmonious Peace or maybe it is Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

This latest fit of idiocy is a result of suckers in the Bali government paying lots of dosh for so-called experts on branding to conduct “six months of intensive research” on how Bali is to rebranded to bring back the tourists and move forward with the development of theisland.

The results, reported in The Jakarta Post today (I’ve included the entire story in this post because the Post still hasn’t figured out how to properly store its html pages in its archives so they remain linkable from outside), has led the government to “unveil its new tourism brand for Bali”.

There is something totally wrong here. Unveil a new tourism brand? Like it is going to act as a talisman to bring back the tourists and pump up the economy by itself. Many people look at Malaysia’s Truly Asia tagline and think that it alone helps bring the tourists to Malaysia. It does not. What it does is to provide a handle for people to hold on to to understand the tourism promotion package that Malaysia offers, which is based on its diversity of races/culture.

This new Bali branding shindig is totally laughable. Rather than waste good money and six months of intensive research to give them nonsense such as this the government would have spent their money much wiser if they improved the infrastructure in Bali, clean up the streets, taught the shopkeepers how to be more creative and original in producing and marketing their goods instead. If they have done all this then the can go ahead to launch a campaign in which the brand logo, tagline and attrubutes would go toward supporting this new direction.

The brand, in other words, is the means to an end but not an end itself. Go figure.

Taken from http://theunspunblog.com/2007/06/21/muddled-thinking-about-branding-in-bali/ A webblog owned by Ong Hock Chuan, Former journalist, present PR hack, diver, disaster-prone mountain biker, amateur photographer, blogger.

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