The image of Brussels: being and appearing to be
Until recently, this relationship was built through events and historical sites. For decades the reference for Brussels was its gothic cathedral, flamboyant Grand’Place, Breughel-like festivals, royal crown and the slightly disrespectful image of its Manneken-Pis. It was enough to build a city identity when competition was light, but much too simplistic now that rapid transport and new forms of communication have cut the dimensions of our planet. Identity: the ability of a person to be a particular individual and to be recognised as such without confusion thanks to these elements (Petit Robert).
Birth and first steps of city tourism
In 1958, Brussels became aware that it could give itself a new personality through the first post-war Universal Exposition. And it wasn’t content just to polish up its coat of arms: the city brazenly adorned itself with grand boulevards and an inner ring road. Dressed in these new garments, Brussels rose to the summit of modernity and paraded for six months in front of the whole world, its heads of state and international celebrities. Tourist guides published at the time swallowed the bait and praised the merits of this city with a medieval heart that had dared to build futuristic skyscrapers and sprawling avenues.
In 1988, politicians created a logo, a symbol for their flag: the iris which now flowers in the Brussels-Capital Region.
In 2000, Brussels was voted European Capital of Culture, which helped remind people – especially politicians – of the importance of enriching the content of the city image. 2005: it was concluded by all parties involved in the tourism forum that even if the cultural aspect is only one facet of city brand image, it represents significant economic value that cannot be moved elsewhere. Brand image comes basically from the perception that is imprinted totally or partially in the memory by the media.
The various experts gathered for the occasion agreed to capitalise on the human face of Europe: the cultural aspects of the European village and the art de vivre in Brussels. They understood that big exhibitions, museums and monuments frequently serve as pretexts for a more trivial exploration of the city – shopping, drinking beers on a terrace and of course, buying chocolates.
The year 2007 saw the birth of Tintin’s children, the ToF People: Brussels residents originating from other EU countries. These “foreigners” act as Brussels ambassadors to their compatriots and have become credible spokespeople for the international press.
Emotion and feeling
In the media supermarket, city identities are clouded by generalities such as “London and the Olympics”, “Prague for young people” and “Amsterdam and its coffee shops”. In the Internet supermarket, cities try to develop their own personalities but since their creativity is usually limited to copying the success of others, they all tend to offer the same smoke and mirrors which is now available anywhere for a few euros.To escape from this situation, you need to create brand emotion and stop the hard sell. The Apple brand does not sell computer equipment; it gives us easy access to the new pleasures of multimedia. It tempts us and we bite the apple because the purchase is all about feeling… and price doesn’t even enter into it. We should develop this emotional dimension of new brand language for Brussels, in order to differentiate it from other cities. When we actually try to establish an identikit picture by listening to all those who know our region, the result looks more like a cubist abstraction than a realistic portrait:
- Politicians and leaders state their beliefs, each one sketching his particular outline of the ideal city identity: Brussels the people’s Europe, Relax in Brussels, Vibrant Brussels, Brussels unique feel, etc.
- Artists speak about Brussels being sensitive, unpredictable and fragile because it is fragmented and difficult to resume in one word. For them it is above all, less about cement and more about feeling.
To replace this cliché, Brussels therefore has to create other reference points which are recognisable by everyone. In other words, the name must become a brand. Brand : a semantic element that expresses value, expertise, savoir faire, history and commitment… that helps us make choices.
Image and creativity
Can we really build a city brand image like we do for a consumer product?
No, because its substance is not controllable; not in the product dimension, nor in its symbolic expression. When we hear the mention of a city, there is not one but many images which form in our mind depending on the feelings, tastes and moods of those who are talking about it. Far from being a piece of written music, a city brand image is a mix of noises, backfires and cacophony… and yet we want Brussels music to seduce the whole world.As with all forms of construction, you have to start with a solid base. First, plant the décor and sketch the geographic and social landscape. Towers or green areas? An administrative ghetto or a convivial neighbourhood? Highways or pedestrian streets? Brussels has to show its new European character, while respecting its identity values.
In another sense, culture helps to give a city an aura of seduction. Paris and the smile of its Mona Lisa; Copenhagen and its little mermaid; Bilbao and its gigantic Guggenheim,…
But cultural richness is not just a symbolic building or collection of masterpieces. It has to beat in the heart of the citizen city and be available in all its forms. Urbanism and culture are two city identity dimensions that need a fresh, innovative approach because cloning will get you nowhere. Brussels didn’t invent the Christmas Market but it’s the only one of its kind that takes place on a walk through town instead of in an enclosed area. There is also Art Nouveau in Prague, but you’ll never forget the romantic sunset on the roof of the MIM (Musical Instruments Museum) in Brussels. Here, the fashion and design district isn’t hidden away; it jumps out at you on terraces. We must remember that all our projects contribute to our brand personality. Tomorrow, let’s build a House of Europe with wood from all the forests of Europe, and “plant” it in the Cinquantenaire Park.
Music rather than noise
The explosion of information technologies is propelling us into a dimension that obliterates landmarks, turns theories upside down and changes the whole way things work. The homo internetus has dethroned homo sapiens sapiens and introduced a new mission – to know all there is to know about everything, right now, and then be able to choose fast in spite of the wide choice available! He looks for hyper quality, compares with hyper competitiveness, and demands hyper transparency. To attract his attention in this turmoil, you need strong city images, clear definitions and the promise of different city experiences. In other words, playing a melodious tune is the only way to dominate the din on the web.
To compose a communication melody, you have to choose your key and compose with the right notes.
The musical key is the emotional roots shared by the city’s citizens
Each city has its history, folklore, culture and traditions; these city identity codes characterise the place and make it unique. Identity is built by all people in a city, both visitors and locals. And once established, it doesn’t easily change!
Crossroads? Welcoming? Administrative? Festive? Musical? Sportive? A close knowledge of the region will enable you to define its difference, make any imitation ineffective and above all, respond to the emotions that its citizens, visitors and investors search for. These brand roots, common to both private and institutional players, are the essence of our city personality. They will help prompt all those who when talking about Brussels, forget their lines but understand the importance of speaking accurately and truthfully.
The musical notes are the resources of the citizen groups involved
1. The emotions which create desire
To make the catalogue icons stick, you have to choose a range of emotional promises and vary them. A lover of Art Nouveau visiting the city by bike may also be looking for 500m² of office space and someone strolling around the European institutions during the day may be in a box at the opera that evening. Even iguanas in the museum follow the same logic: they welcome school kids in the afternoon but pass the evening with VIP’s in dinner jackets! Business people are also city tourists and with tribal marketing you can group them in “tribes” according to their hobbies and interests: explorers, eco-travellers, hyper-connected, etc. – all different ways of discovering local aspects of one’s temporary workplace.2. People who spread the word by their talent
The media talk about them outside Belgium: Delvaux’s success in Japan and Russia; Mathilde dressed by Natan radiating in royal places; in New York, Arno sings our surrealism; the trendy eat brunch at Pain Quotidien; and the gourmets of Kuwait City melt as they taste chocolates by Pierre Marcolini. What talent! And not just the festive type. On a more serious plane, like biotechnology and hi-tech communications, Belgians are also renowned throughout the world. Destination marketing should not forget to cover these ambassadors of excellence.3. The style that dreams are made of A star wears stiletto heels and fur coat when she steps on the red carpet but may put on Converse shoes and jeans to go shopping, without losing her aura with fans. In the same way, a destination brand has to make its style known or risk being labelled “not yet found” – which denotes a lack of maturity and almost certainly leads to exclusion from the group of international destinations striving to climb to the top of the ladder. Brussels doesn’t need palm trees or blue sky: nuances of gold and grey, the reflection of offices and institutions on wet pavements, and the screech of grating trams will do just fine. The city only has to choose its repertoire to conquer its audiences in the world’s concert halls.
4. Experiences which ring true
Like a southerner exiled to the far north, a congress visitor or Eurocrat posted to Brussels often disembarks with heavy legs, reluctant to face the dull, damp capital of Europe. But the visitor is usually quickly and pleasantly surprised to find that Brussels is not a patchwork of cold Washington-type avenues; that the grey skies work wonders on the gothic spires; and that as soon as you open a map someone pops up to help you. Many of those whose international careers have moved them to Brussels decide to stay once their mission has ended, to prolong their enjoyment of a city full of soul. This is where Brussels is unique and inimitable – it is an emotional brand, and modest enough not to shout it from the rooftops.5. The cyber putsch that’s changed our bearings Since web 2.0 the Internet surfer has taken the high ground. Forget one-way information; this is the age of dialogue, sharing and interactivity.
Trip Advisor is thumbing its nose at Michelin: we award the stars now, and then tell everyone who wants to know.
Those who come to Brussels for a city break, for a congress or a temporary work mission, no longer land without having explored a few blogs or other information platforms. In destination marketing this is exactly where you have to pitch your virtual tent and Brussels has its putschists, both known and unknown, who reveal their preferences on YouTube.6. The barometer which shows the mix of perceptions There’s one simple rule in city marketing if you want to be one of the attractive places: stay plugged in to the market to keep riding the crest of the wave. The tyranny of perception is such that it can take just one false note to fall from melody into dissonance. This is why city images are measured at regular intervals by specialist researchers. In destination marketing, Brussels comes in the middle of the table with a mention: “very nice but not sexy enough”. Can do better! 7. The common project which brings everyone together To touch the heart and find a place in the imagination, you have to go for a big splash. The time for small, personal projects has passed. It’s all about interdependence now; each of us needing everybody else. When the Region chooses to go abroad with a Brussels Day – to New York, Paris, Milan, Madrid or Berlin – it brings together all its partners to maximise success. It works like a store chain which attracts customers to give them a taste of its brands and attributes… like Inno does in Belgium with its shops-in-a-shop brand approach.
To be and dare to appear
For the Brussels-Capital Region, image cannot be left to chance: brand roots and resources add the emotion and feeling which are often lacking in unfocused promotion activities. Not just any emotion, but one that builds better contact with customers and especially one that creates the desire to invest rather than purchase at a discount.
You need a visionary project to create emotion for the future. If Brussels lets its city image develop randomly, it will continue to be identified by Manneken-Pis: a nice little fellow but not something you take seriously.
Self-mockery makes Belgians friendly and unthreatening, but it can never be the major character trait of Brussels attractiveness.We have to be daring and develop a total brand identity. Not only one from the past, but one which combines all our identity resources – to create a visionary project that expresses our true city identity.
If conventional wisdom says that it is better to be than to appear to be, the Brussels-Capital Region has to take the bull by the horns and turn this saying round the other way. Because unlike some boastful cities, we “are” but have not yet decided to “appear to be”.
André Vrydagh
November 2008