Re-Branding Our State

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bm7500
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Re-Branding Our State

#1 Post by bm7500 » Thu May 10, 2012 9:47 am

There was an interesting article in adelaidenow (below) about how the brand of South Australia is often confused by people overseas.

The re-branding of our State has been made a priority by the years end. It has even been suggested that we change the name of our State to make it more identifiable!

That raises a few questions; should we change the name of our State and if so, what should we change it to?
PREMIER Jay Weatherill wants a new brand for South Australia - because he believes our international image is vague and difficult to explain.

Mr Weatherill has asked his Economic Development Board to develop a new brand for the state by the end of the year.

He met South Australian Agent-General and advertising guru Bill Muirhead in London this week to discuss the state's rebranding options, and earlier this morning announced the appointment of economist and author Tim Harcourt as an advisor to help boost exports and attract foreign investment and migrants to SA.

Mr Weatherill said he was being regularly introduced at international functions as the Premier of NSW, including at a G'Day USA fun-ction earlier in the year, and on Tuesday night in London at a function with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Mr Weatherill expected the rebranding to "trigger public debate about what is the essence of our state and how it should be presented to the world".

"Modern regions compete on the attractions of their capital cities," he said.

Mr Muirhead said there was "confusion about our brand, which happens all the time".

"When we say South Australia to ... people here in the UK, they see in their mind's eye the southern half of Australia," Mr Muirhead said.

"My view is that we have to do something different.

"We don't want to be Victoria or NSW. We have to be us."

Mr Muirhead also warned that SA was often confused with the abbreviation for South Africa.

Mr Weatherill described South Australia as a "very difficult concept to explain".

"It's the confusion of South Australia and NSW and it's everything in the bottom half of the country," he said.

Mr Muirhead agreed NSW and Victoria focused on Sydney and Melbourne heavily and he would be keen to have the Adelaide name feature in a new branding strategy.

Mr Weatherill described Adelaide as a "beautiful name".

A new "masterbrand" would dispel confusion, boost awareness and provide an umbrella for sub-brands used by government agencies and other bodies that are responsible for promoting the state in areas such as tourism, defence and education.

"If these brands all have some consistency and they're joined up they will work much harder for you ... and that will save the state a lot of money," Mr Muirhead said.

"There are plenty of places out there all competing for what we're competing for, we have to be top of mind."

Mr Muirhead said SA should focus on its iconic offerings, such as Kangaroo Island.

"It's a mini-Australia - it has beaches, wildlife, food and the best thing is the name," he said.

Mr Weatherill agreed Kangaroo Island was a name with "strong recognition and more use could be made of that".

SA Economic Development Board chair Raymond Spencer told an Urban Development Institute of Australia lunch in Adelaide last week that "nobody in the world knows about South Australia".

"If you mention South Australia, the picture is this funny map (of Australia) - a line across the middle.

"This presents us with an opportunity to get on the world stage and brand our state. Without it, we will not attract the people that we need."

Mr Spencer supported a debate about changing the state's name or brand.

"Even if the name of the state stays the same, or if it got changed to Adelaide or something else, the very process itself would really raise the profile," he said.

The Government is working on the rebranding with the SA Tourism Commission and Advantage SA, using existing Budget funds.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au
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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#2 Post by Will » Thu May 10, 2012 1:56 pm

This is a silly idea.

We are a small state and hence our international profile will always be lower than the eastern states. Just like how more people would be aware of California and New York over Ohio and New Hampshire.

Furthermore I shudder to think at the politically correct name we would be given if we changed the name of the state.

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#3 Post by Hooligan » Thu May 10, 2012 2:01 pm

Lets change the name of Adelaide to!

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#4 Post by cruel_world00 » Thu May 10, 2012 2:08 pm

Will wrote: Furthermore I shudder to think at the politically correct name we would be given if we changed the name of the state.
I wouldn't mind "Flinders", I haven't really heard anything particularly better.

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#5 Post by mutt » Thu May 10, 2012 2:51 pm

when South Africa was isolated it didnt matter so much but these days you cant use the SA acronym any more overseas as its assumed to be South Africa

maybe the state code should be changed to SAU or SAUS

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#6 Post by Waewick » Thu May 10, 2012 4:40 pm

I'm sure I asked this exact question a while ago.

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#7 Post by Hooligan » Thu May 10, 2012 5:57 pm

mutt wrote:when South Africa was isolated it didnt matter so much but these days you cant use the SA acronym any more overseas as its assumed to be South Africa

maybe the state code should be changed to SAU or SAUS
Nah, Let's just make South Africa change their acronym.

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#8 Post by mutt » Thu May 10, 2012 6:25 pm

Hooligan wrote:
mutt wrote:when South Africa was isolated it didnt matter so much but these days you cant use the SA acronym any more overseas as its assumed to be South Africa

maybe the state code should be changed to SAU or SAUS
Nah, Let's just make South Africa change their acronym.
yeah a country of 50 million vs a state of a little over 1 million
good luck

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#9 Post by Waewick » Fri May 11, 2012 8:10 am

REally We could call ourselves Flinders (after the ranges) or hell why don't we just call our selves Olympic, that way everyone will know where Olympic Dam is :banana:

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#10 Post by Nathan » Fri May 11, 2012 9:21 am

Word on the street is that this contract has already been given to an advertising agency (and not one of the many studios in Adelaide that actually specialise in branding. Not even an advisory panel.).

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#11 Post by skyliner » Fri May 11, 2012 2:34 pm

Waewick wrote:REally We could call ourselves Flinders (after the ranges) or hell why don't we just call our selves Olympic, that way everyone will know where Olympic Dam is :banana:
How about 'Olympia'?

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#12 Post by Wayno » Fri May 11, 2012 5:10 pm

Kingsland (one up on Queensland) or Newer South Wales ;-)

There was a slight chance that Victoria could have been called Batmania (after John Batman)! giving them this theme song.
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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#13 Post by mutt » Fri May 11, 2012 5:35 pm

i think we should take back the NT and call ourselves central australia

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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#14 Post by monotonehell » Fri May 11, 2012 5:43 pm

"Not Settled By Convicts Australia"

There dat'll show 'dem eastern states.
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Re: Should We Change The Name of Our State?

#15 Post by mutt » Fri May 11, 2012 5:54 pm

monotonehell wrote:"Not Settled By Convicts Australia"

There dat'll show 'dem eastern states.
perhaps you could start by not talking like a convict

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