State brand missing in boom economy

As Western Australia enjoys one of the most prosperous economic periods in its history, some in the advertising industry are paying close attention to the perceptions being created by the boom.

From a branding perspective, they say, the issue is whether WA has finally rid itself of the stain of WA Inc to articulate a new image.

Advertising director of Subiaco-based 303, Alan Taylor, told a recent WA Business News boardroom roundtable it was important to go beyond the opportunistic environment to create a positive, long-term image for the state.

“I think we’re in an interesting situation where we’re going through another golden period,” he said.

“It’s swinging around to that kind of entrepreneurial, boom-and-bust kind of sensation again, so it’ll be interesting how we come out the other side of this, because we will continue to be regarded as a state of opportunists, as opposed to a state of opportunity.”

BCY director Richard Clarke believes the state government needs to do more to create a unified brand for WA, which would deliver benefits to all industry sectors, rather than simply directing advertising resources towards key products and services.

“Nothing is being done to create a more well-rounded definition or brand image of what Western Australia is and stands for,” he said.

Synovate group managing director Julie Beeck agreed, saying there was more work to be done before a cohesive WA brand was achieved.

“If we want to capitalise on the incredible period that WA is experiencing, we need to collectively endorse a distinctive and meaningful brand that the business sector, state government and people can all engage with and get behind,” she said.

“Relative to some states, WA doesn’t take a very proactive stance on marketing the state, beyond the tourism sector.”

While WA’s most recognised and best corporate brands may belong to the big spending players at the top end of town, those within the industry agree that the strength of a company’s brand is not always directly correlated to its marketing spend.

According to The Brand Agency partner Morgen Lewis, it is the sum of an organisation’s activities that has the greatest effect on its brand, rather than simply its mainstream marketing.

“Some organisations don’t have any above-the-line marketing, (and yet) they have a very successful brand with strong brand recognition,” Ms Lewis said.

Marketforce chief executive officer John Driscoll said Henderson-based ship builder Austal Ltd was one company that fell into this category, by generating profile without an expensive marketing strategy.

“They don’t spend any money on advertising, but as a Western Australian brand, they’re very well-recognised; people know who they are, people know what they stand for, but there’s no marketing, or no local marketing,” he said.

“That’s where, to me, brand goes way beyond what you see in an advertising sense. It’s who you are and what you are and whether you are living up to what people expect.”

The University of Western Australia is another organisation perceived to be punching above the weight of its marketing budget.

303’s Alan Taylor said the university’s brand “was unbelievably strong”, as evidenced by the number of first preferences it received.

“You can argue that a really strong brand is someone like UWA, but from a communications point of view, their budget is nothing,” he said.

The university’s 2005 Nobel laureates, Professor Barry Marshall and Dr Robin Warren, in particular had given its credibility a huge boost.

“That’s done more for the UWA brand in the last year than anything,” Mr Taylor said.

Evaluating the success of a company’s branding strategy can be difficult, according to those within the industry, without knowing the intent of a campaign.

However, Adcorp general manager David Morrison said some WA companies had successfully rejuvenated their brand this year.

“From a technical point of view, we can either say that brand positioning is enhancing the brand, or it’s moved away completely or it’s changed the brand,” Mr Morrison said.

“This year I put RAC up, because I think they’ve done a good job of brand extension.”

Outside the high-profile campaigns of organisations such as the RAC and iiNet, several industries are perceived to have raised the bar on corporate and organisational branding this year.

The Right Group managing director David Kent said some industrial and not-for-profit groups, in particular, had improved their corporate branding.

“We typically get (told), ‘we’re not a Bunnings, so we don’t need to worry about our brand.’ Well, you have employees, you have unions, you have shareholders, you have government looking at you, you have general community interest groups – you’re a brand,” he said.

Another sector that has grown its profile nationally is the WA music industry, according to Block Branding creative director, Kylie Telfer.

Ms Telfer said a cohort of WA bands and musicians – including Eskimo Joe, Little Birdy, John Butler and the Waifs – had created a buzz around the local industry that had enhanced its brand.

“(People) do say there’s some great things happening in WA around contemporary music and around independent music. That’s kind of an accidental thing that’s happening through community and through success, but Western Australian music is still recognisable as a brand,” she said.