1. Visibility and attractiveness of clusters
- through Brand Management
European Cluster Conference 2010!
Marcus Andersson and Per Ekman, Tendensor
Brussels, 29 September 2010

2. Our services:
✓ Place branding processes and projects.
✓ dvising cities, clusters, regions and countries
A
on place development and attractiveness.
✓ raining courses for place managers.
T
✓ easure the image of places with our
M
Attractiveness Index.

3. When place image influences our reality

4. When place image influences our reality

5. A recent example of place branding

6. Burgeoning academic interest

7. Distinctiveness vs. conformity
?
BioValley
?
STERN BioRegio
?
Bio Bio Valley
BioCon Valley
Biotechvalley
?
Medicon Valley
?
?

8. Some perspectives on brands
Brand as...
...an image
...a promise
...a relationship"

9. Place branding is difficult
Complex target markets
Limited control over the ”product” "
Structural problems can cause bad image
Improving place image takes time

10. The good news – clusters are no “ordinary” places
Inherently some degree of common
identity and common interest.
Based on public-private partnerships
and/or tripple-helix.

11. In search of distinctiveness..
Bavaria
Bordeaux
Parma

12. In search of distinctiveness..
✓ lusters need to mobilise commitment
C
internally and have story to tell externally
✓ ind conceptual idea about cluster -
F
unity of purpose
✓ eed to ask questions, such as:
N
- Who are we, and what do we stand for?
- What do we deliver?
- What do others think about us?
- How are we different from our competitors?
- How do interactions with stakeholders shape
our brand?
✓ torytelling can create meaning, unity
S
and direction

13. How cluster reputation works
Cluster reputation can help cluster actors to:
- Attract skilled professionals
- Attract investments
- Attract new firms
- Get new members to cluster organisation
- Promote sales and export – place-of-origin effect
- Diversify into new areas

14. How cluster reputation works
Benefits for SMEs:!
- Talent attraction – surrogate for corporate reputation"
- Financing – reduce risk "
- Exports and internationalisation – prove legitimacy
Benefits for larger companies:
- Lobbying and articulating needs vis-à-vis policymakers
- Talent attraction – locality more important than ever
- Showcase “good citizenship” and maintain social
image

15. How cluster branding works
Process oriented benefits:
- Clarification of strategic concepts
- Strategic focus and direction
- Driving force to internal development
- Better sense of place and shared values
- Local and civic pride
Virtuous circles:
Sense of belonging  more commitment to cluster
development and brand idea
Positive international recognition  identity
strengthened internally

16. The Brand Management process
1. Project planning
Expectations on goals and process
Composition of steering- and project group
Mapping of basic conditions and important background
reading
2. Create process management team and
steering group
Balance private-public
Ensure management and policy support
3. Research
Qualitative – focus groups (tripple-helix), deep interviews,
“mystery shopping”
Quantitative – perception surveys, media analyses

17. The Brand Management process
4. Development process
- Workshop 1: Today’s image of the cluster
- Workshop 2: The desired image of the cluster (brand
identity) - 30 – 40 people participate (triple helix + local
opinion leaders)
- Results interpreted and analysed in project group
- Feedback process to workshop group
5. Brand platform
Clarifies:
- Identity, profile and image
- Brand positioning
- Core values
- The uniqueness and attractiveness of the place

18. The Brand Management process
6. Mobilisation and implementation
Brand strategy
- Clarify roles – who is doing what?
- Target groups and stakeholders
- Action plan – both communication and
development – if we want to achieve the image we
want, what do we need to do/change?
- Identify brand ambassadors who can carry the
central idea of the brand

19. Considerations and success factors
1. Leadership – brand building is management
responsibility
2. Place matters – also for clusters
3. Brand identity – possibility to create
hype, but mind the gap

20. A few words about innovative channels..
1. Ambassador networks
2. Joint showrooms
3. Conferences, reports and indexes

21. Possible brand strategies
1. Cultural regions
2. University towns
3. Thematic brands
4. Geographical positioning
5. Value-driven brands

22. Get in contact with us if you:
1. Are interested in being involved in our forthcoming study of
cluster branding
2. Want to suggest cases to study or issues to look into for study
3. Are interested in our services
How?
- Leave business card
- Email us: marcus.andersson@tendensor.se
- Join “Cluster brands” group on Linkedin

23. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
TENDENSOR AB
WWW.TENDENSOR.COM
TEL: +46 708-673634
EMAIL: marcus.andersson@tendensor.se

24. Group discussion – benefits of cluster reputation
To discuss:
Which benefits of cluster reputation can
you see for your cluster, and which one is
the most important?