Anthony dusts off the mix tape, packs up the car and takes us on a road trip this month to look at tourism brands in country towns and asks “Just how many ‘Gateways to the Outback’ are there?”

Let me tell you a bit about my life before I joined Urban Economics.  I was a travelling salesperson, selling books to schools in Queensland and New South Wales.  Criss-crossing the states, I saw plenty of regional towns, big and small.  I was welcomed to “Coal Country”, travelled through “Australia’s Beef Capital” and passed through endless “Gateways to the Outback” without ever seeming to get there.  

Every town and shire had some sort of sign welcoming the visitor, usually with some slogan or branding.  It occurred to me at the time that there was a lot of repetition in the slogans and brandings of regional and country towns – Gateway this and Heartland that, and how many Tidy Town prizes do they actually give out, for there are plenty of winners out there?  I had a bit of a code for such branding, which was:

Gateway = nothing in town, but getting closer 
Heartland = nothing in town, probably already past it 
Tidy Town = nothing in town, not even some interesting graffiti 

I didn’t know anything back then about the science of tourism brands, or of marketing, or of regional economic development.  But as they say with artworks, I knew what I liked.  And as with art, what I liked was witty, original, memorable and preferably involved dogs playing poker.  But in many instances, what I saw in tourism branding was uninspiring and forgettable.  And no dogs playing poker.  Not even Lara Beagle saying “Where the woofy hell are you?” (Sorry, that was a pretty bad joke, but it would be a campaign that you couldn’t forget in a hurry)

Presumably the local branding is to highlight the positives of the town and encourage visitors to spend time in the area.  So let’s look for a moment at why people may stop in a country town.  Aside from the town being the final destination, visitors may stop at the town to see local sights, refuel, get snacks, have a meal, use the toilets, enjoy the view, visit particular shops, take photos, rest up, etcetera.  People on the road driving towards a town are on the lookout for fuel, food, local sights and amenities.  Does a sign saying “Heart of Sorghum Country” really respond to what people are looking for?

Although less glamorous, signs such as “Australia’s Friendliest Motorhome Waste Dump” or “Toilets – Now Redback Free” may actually be more attention-getting and likely to encourage people to stop than something along the lines of “Heart of Sorghum Country.”

But slogans and signs can also encourage visitors to stop the next time they are coming through a region.  By being memorable and distinctive, a slogan is more likely to trigger a familiarity and recognition of the town with something interesting and attractive, thereby increasing the likelihood of the visitor stopping in the town, rather than passing through.  Richmond’s “You’ll Dig Richmond” with their promotion of the fossil history of the region is distinctive and catchy.  The dinosaur/fossil theme is continued throughout the town, right down to the dinosaur footed bins.

Promoting a town to tourists on how much it rains may not sound like a bright idea, but “Tully: a Pretty Wet Place” is memorable, humorous and works.  Tully’s Golden Gumboot and its promotion as the wettest town in Australia (unless you come from Babinda) is successful in piquing interest in the town and encouraging visitors to spend time in the area.

Mooball in northern New South Wales punches well above its weight in terms of recognition through its friesian-themed village, creating a memorable, quirky atmosphere.

These are small towns promoting themselves to passing traffic through humour and distinctiveness, reaching a level of recognition that would never be achieved through branding such as “Tully: Sugarcane Country.”

So in creating a brand and image for a town, we need to remember:

•    Who are we attracting?
•    What are their interests?
•    What are they looking for?
•    What will make them stop?

It is important to grab their attention, it is a long drive between towns in regional areas.  Be different, be memorable, use humour, be self-deprecating and be relevant.  And never under-estimate the power of card playing canines.

By: Anthony Meulman