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Bill Baker

Portland, Oregon

Author, city branding and tourism consultant and speaker

Interests: Portland Trailblazers, Seattle Mariners, Aussie cricket team, and walking Rocky the Wonder Dog

Recent Activity

Final Blog on this Site

This is the final blog by Bill Baker and TDM o n this Typepad site. All future blogs will be at the TDM website http://www.destinationbranding.com/blog Be sure to register to receive the series of free PDF e-books titled ‘Branding Small Cities’ by TDM. The series tackles many of the issues... Continue reading

Posted Mar 20, 2018 at Small City Branding Around the World

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The Mayor Doesn’t Own Your City’s Brand!

Last week I was reminded of the fragility of place brands and how they need to foster deep community roots from the start of their brand planning process. The marketing manager of a small destination marketing organization (DMO) told me that his city had completed a brand strategy during the... Continue reading

Posted Nov 1, 2017 at Small City Branding Around the World

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What’s Involved in Destination Leadership Success?

I was delighted to recently receive a copy of my friend Bill Geist’s new book, ‘Destination Leadership’. I found his last book of the same name to hold so many epiphanies in regard to understanding and responding to the challenges that face DMOs. I’m delighted to say that this edition... Continue reading

Posted Oct 10, 2017 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Will Hudson Yards Totally Disrupt Midtown Manhattan?

A recent article in Institutional Investor is a timely reminder that every place, no matter its size or popularity, must always keep an eye over its ‘shoulder’ for unexpected competitors and threats. Midtown Manhattan would seem to be on an unassailable high with new buildings, iconic tenants, millions of visitors... Continue reading

Posted Oct 3, 2017 at Small City Branding Around the World

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The Logo Bureaucrats Run Amok in NSW.

Place and destination branding is tricky at the best of times. Among the ever-present challenge is managing the possible influence of politics and the whim of politicians and bureaucrats. The Sydney Herald reports that the tourism industry, and especially the attractions owned by the Government of New South Wales (NSW)... Continue reading

Posted Sep 21, 2017 at Small City Branding Around the World

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What’s the Difference Between Branding and Marketing?

We receive many emails from city leaders, practitioners and students around the world. From time to time we share some of the responses with readers. I had an email from Sharon at a chamber of commerce on the East Coast of the USA, “Some members of our Board are confused... Continue reading

Posted Jun 28, 2017 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Which Towns Have The Most Unfortunate Names? And Does it Matter?

The name of a place is the most powerful part of its identity. It has often been said that being introduced to a brand is like meeting a person. Their name is important - it’s how we remember them, make associations, and refer to them. It’s as if there is... Continue reading

Posted May 31, 2017 at Small City Branding Around the World

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A City's Brand Strategy Isn’t a Magic Wand!

I recently had a conversation with the president of Midwest DMO at a conference who was being pressured by some of his lodging partners because the community’s brand strategy, which had been revealed three months earlier, had not generated an increase in business for them. While we at TDM didn’t... Continue reading

Posted May 9, 2017 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Welcome Signs Show How Many Places Are Out of Touch

Welcome signs can play an important role in the marketing and branding of cities. They not only provide a sense of arrival, but also communicate a welcome to travelers and can signal that the place is ready for them. They can also serve to convey the distinctive identity of the... Continue reading

Posted Apr 24, 2017 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Place Branding: What’s the Difference Between Theory and Practice?

I was honored to recently speak at the Inaugural International Place Branding Association Conference in London. This was a very stimulating and informative event with academics and professionals involved in the principles and practices of brand development and brand management for places (cities, region s, nations and destinations). With such... Continue reading

Posted Mar 6, 2017 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Avoid a Place Branding Headache: Don’t Hire a Painter if You Need an Architect

I used to think that positioning was the trickiest part of place and destination branding. However, I now believe that getting the RFP or Expression of Interest, scope of work and agency selection processes right in the first place are probably the most problematic and can most easily send a... Continue reading

Posted Feb 15, 2017 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Do Billboards Destroy Community Character?

Project for Public Spaces has highlighted an excellent article in the Planning Commissioners Journal (PCJ) by Ed McMahon, who is a Senior Resident Fellow at the Urban Land Institute. Ed is a nationally renowned authority and speaker on sustainable development, land conservation, and urban design. In his PCJ article, McMahon... Continue reading

Posted Dec 21, 2016 at Small City Branding Around the World

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It Takes a Culture of Collaboration to Deliver a Place Brand

Early this year, we conducted a Tourism Assessment Review for a small city that discovered that its tourism performance was declining. This was an attractive small city with an historic downtown that had successfully established a state-wide reputation as a destination for antique shoppers. However, our research soon revealed that... Continue reading

Posted Nov 2, 2016 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Showing Why Nation Branding Matters

The Olympic Games provide an interesting backdrop to observe an alternate competition between nations that isn’t happening on the playing field but in the court of public opinion. It seems that each Olympiad brings ever more intensive efforts to leverage the spotlight to gain recognition and enhance the image of... Continue reading

Posted Aug 24, 2016 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Oregon’s Ice Age Tourism Assets

My destination consulting colleagues and I often remark that residents of a city often don’t see what’s right in front of us when it comes to their city’s hidden tourism strengths. Well, on this occasion I must confess my guilt. A few years ago, I worked on a small project... Continue reading

Posted Aug 16, 2016 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Fifteen Ways to Protect Your City's Identity

Duke University, Durham While many places can’t get past believing that their logo or tagline is their brand, Durham has done a stellar job in shaping and protecting its identity and image. The Durham CVB has paid close attention to the ways in which their city brand can be diluted... Continue reading

Posted Aug 3, 2016 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Top 5 Place Branding Books to Read in 2016

I was pleasantly surprised and very honored to recently see my book listed as a "must read". Just in time for Northern Hemisphere summer break, Place Brand Observer (PBO) has released a list of the Top 5 Place Branding books to read in 2016. Their list contains books recommended by... Continue reading

Posted Jul 18, 2016 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Chattanooga Leads with Frontline Destination Training

When we conduct a brand audit or tourism assessment 9 times out of 10 participants identify a destination weakness as being the lack of knowledge of the local area by front-line hospitality staff. Despite how many DMOs recognize this as a problem, so very few ever do anything about it.... Continue reading

Posted Jul 13, 2016 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Google Trekker Brings Oregon Destination Brand to Life

I recently posted about how the importance of place brands has not diminished because of the myriad new digital communications platforms. However, the ways that places go about branding has changed. This is perfectly demonstrated by our client Travel Lane County (Oregon) in marketing their destination region, Eugene, Cascades &... Continue reading

Posted May 5, 2016 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Benefits of a Brand Audit: The Case of the Poorly Fitting Suits

I have been reading a case study about Malaysia as a destination with global appeal in the book, "Stop Advertising Start Branding: How to Build the Brand That Will Build Your Business" by Marcus Osborne. I was quickly struck by how a comprehensive brand audit can not only fine-tune a... Continue reading

Posted Apr 13, 2016 at Small City Branding Around the World

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New Book: Branded Wayfinding for Destinations

I am pleased to have been asked by my colleague Todd Mayfield at Axia Creative to contribute a chapter to his new book on Branded Wayfinding for Destinations – Successful Places & Public Spaces. Todd has written the book for organizations such as convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs), community committees,... Continue reading

Posted Jan 25, 2016 at Small City Branding Around the World

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The Keys to Measuring Place Branding

My colleague, Dr Florian Kaefer at Place Brand Observer wrote an interesting article on evaluating place brands which has been published by fDIntelligence (Financial Times). Florian presents techniques for a variety measures to monitor and evaluate place branding. I particularly liked the comment by Mr Boisen from the University of... Continue reading

Posted Dec 22, 2015 at Small City Branding Around the World

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A Name Change Strengthens Travel Lane County

In 2008, Total Destination Marketing developed the brand strategy for Lane County, Oregon. This large region embraces the Cascade Mountains, the McKenzie River Valley, stretches of the famed Oregon Coast, as well as the cities of Springfield and Eugene in the Willamette Valley. Research revealed that Lane County was not... Continue reading

Posted Nov 11, 2015 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Why Isn’t Anyone Supporting our City Brand?

In recent months I fielded calls from two frustrated CEO’s of DMOs, one in Australia and one in the USA with the same question, “why isn’t anyone supporting our new brand?” Both had launched their brands about 3 years ago and were finding that their DMO was the only organization... Continue reading

Posted Sep 24, 2015 at Small City Branding Around the World

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Whose Place Brand is it Anyway?

Last week I was reminded of the fragility of place brands and how they need to foster deep community roots from the start of their brand planning process. The marketing manager of a small destination marketing organization (DMO) told me that his city had completed a brand strategy during the... Continue reading

Posted Apr 1, 2015 at Small City Branding Around the World

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