By Fred Morley
On the First day of Christmas
My network gave to me... the APEC Christmas Party.
The Atlantic Provinces Economic Council is one of Canada’s oldest and most respected economic think tanks. They specialize in analysis based ideas and solutions. They have been brining it for more than 50 years and are still fresh. They’ve always tended to steer away from ideology wrapped in Christmas paper analysis. Ok I worked there...I have a bias.
One idea that emerged here, and at a number of receptions, is that Halifax needs to become a world class city.
Increasingly, cities and regions compete with other places for attention, investment, visitors, shoppers, talent, events, and more. Accelerated and intensified globalization has lead to a situation where our main competition is no longer the city one province away or the town in another county, but places half a world away. Our competition is more likely to be Halifax County Virginia or Halifax in Yorkshire than Moncton. Indeed, Moncton, Truro, and Sydney are more likely to be partners in this international competition than adversaries.
The main way cities compete is through their brand. People that have never visited Silicon Valley or London know that these economies are driven by high tech and financial services respectively because of their brands.
A lot of smart folks in our community have begun to think that a coordinated branding effort can create value for Halifax and for Nova Scotia. This begins by aligning the various messages that are currently being sent out with a unified and distinctive voice. Successful communities identify and profile those things that make them special, things that define them, for themselves and for others. Successful communities invest in defining this brand, reinforce this vision; and create new, powerful and cost-effective ways to project a strong and memorable voice.
If we find our Halifax voice, we enhance our international reputation as a community. This also works for the 1,100 businesses and organizations that use Halifax as part of their national and international sales pitch. Communities that succeed in creating a memorable brand do so by unlocking the talent of the people and the companies who live here and profile this to the world. Successful communities know that a clear and shared sense of purpose, engendered by a well-planned brand strategy, can help align government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations around important common goals.
An inspired brand with clear purpose can build a community by engaging and building confidence in our own people. Externally, it tells other people what we do and what we believe in. It tells the world who we are in ways that are simple, truthful, motivating, appealing and memorable. Our brand informs people that Halifax is a place where they need to visit, do business, or live.
Halifax is a community yet to find its full voice, but we already know something of our brand. Our brand is that compulsion to tell a perfect stranger about Halifax in great detail if they show the remotest interest. It’s about the virtual fist fight that breaks out on facebook if someone runs us down. Brand is Halifax community pride made real.
Can Halifax be world class? Some would say we already are...we just have to tell people about ourselves.
One last thought. The song the twelve days of Christmas involves some pretty expensive gifts. Before re run out and buy these 12 gifts we need a bit of market research. And what would Christmas be without economists. I present to you the twelve days of Christmas...economist style......Robyn Williams eat our dust.
Happy Holidays and a prosperous 2011
Fred
Fred Morley is the Executive Vice President and Chief Economist at the Greater Halifax Partnership.
Comments