One of the first industries to harness destination marketing is the luxury goods market, and arguably they have some of the greatest promotional ideas. Take the wine and spirits sector as an example. It is one thing to read on a bottle that the wine tastes of the rolling hills of the Burgundy region, with traces of truffle and local black cherries. It is an entirely other matter to go out and experience those rolling hills, to see the wine in production, and to stand where the makers have stood. That entire experience is important for the identity of the brand, and is the essence of destination marketing.
Detail: Veuve Clicquot
The picture below comes from a show room in the House of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin in Reims, France. For centuries, Champagne has been held to be the epitome of beverages, wine of the kings. To keep that spirit alive, the Champagne region of France has launched an impressive campaign to promote their ware and distinguish themselves from “those other sparkling wines.”
Discussion
A large part of this strategy is devoted to destination marketing. Most, if not all, of the established Champagne houses offer guided tours to truly experience the different brands. For Veuve Clicquot, this involves tours of the ancient cellars where the wine is aged, the facilities where the wine is bottled and produced, and the miniature museum and gift shop built entirely to promote the brand. Guests can feel awed by the massive vaulted ceilings of the caves the Romans dug, where people fled in times of war, and where today house millions of dollars of the precious liquid. The museum summarizes the centuries-old brand, and allows guests to connect with the tradition of the company. All of these things allow the customer to become emotionally involved, a strategic tool for marketing a brand.
Other notes of interest for marketers wishing to engage in destination marketing, as seen through the Veuve Clicquot experience, include a completely controlled color palette indicative of the brand. The copyrighted yellow of the label is world-known, and is probably the most distinguishable feature of the brand. To capitalize on this, the sofas, walls, cabinets, and accessories were all plastered with this color or in complementary tones. Tastefully, of course. The logo appeared throughout the tour to completely satiate our mind with Veuve Clicquot. Even the idea of branded apparel and gifts is noteworthy, as guests become walking advertisements for the brand, wearing the clothes and bringing up fun or interesting tidbits picked up on the tour. Destination marketing must first and foremost appeal to an impressive portion of the target market, must engage the consumer, and must be culturally sensitive. Cultural awareness is key for direct interaction with customers, as people from all over the world will converge to share in the brand experience. As for impressions, destination marketing of a brand may be relatively low and cost high, but the added value of experiencing the essence of a brand is priceless.
Highlights
- destination marketing promotes a brand by emotionally engaging the consumer
- the entire experience must in some way, subtly and avoiding tackiness, reference the brand or company
- as over 80 percent of business generally comes from 20 percent of the market, which are usually loyal customers, it is important to give the consumer something to remember the brand
- destination marketing turns customers into brand ambassadors
I can agree more with you.
ReplyDeleteHowever, How would you feel about the idea of building a Veuve Clicquot town in Paris?
Do you believe consumers and people that enjoy or are part of the wine culture would embrace the possibility of being part of the Veuve Clicquot town?