抱歉，本文中文版本正在制作中 A project unique in Europe: South Tyrol is the first and only region so far to establish a common umbrella brand for both its tourist destinations and its agricultural products. This umbrella brand brings together forces from all across the region, showing the unity found in their diversity. The locals will be the first ones to tell you so.
Competition among regions is increasing. And we knew that synergy is essential if South Tyrol wanted to stand the test. But first the region needed a common vision, one that helps people to bring the quality and beauty of their region under one roof and position it successfully. So the first step was a broad analysis of the market and the region’s competitors. The study was designed to produce answers to the most important questions: what makes South Tyrol what it is? What strengths should come to the forefront? And what message should be communicated?
A strategic process is a complex thing. That is even more so for a region than it is for a company. A diverse group of partners, interests and opinions needs to be involved. That’s why we made sure to include all stakeholders from the very beginning to define South Tyrol’s core values. Artisans, merchants and tourism officials sat at the same table alongside the South Tyrol Marketing Association.
And that dialog continued through all phases of the project. The workgroup discussed its findings again and again with people all across the region and with the agencies serving the over 150 individual brands, political groups and various associations involved. We did all that because we knew that broad acceptance was the key to allowing the brand to grow deep roots and come to life.
South Tyrol is a region rich in contrasts, a symbiosis of Alpine and Mediterranean cultures, of spontaneity and dependability, of raw nature and the fine arts. That is the brand positioning we developed with the stakeholders.
This laid the foundation for the visual work. We put together moodboards to experiment with colors, shapes and images. These became the basis for the design – and gave us a tool to re-examine and verify the identity which thus far had only existed in people’s minds.
The result of the design process reflects the diversity of the region. The colors in the stylized panorama of the Dolomite mountains mirror South Tyrol’s rich diversity and its many contrasts. Blue stands for freshness and winter; green for apples, meadows and forests; red for wine and bacon; and yellow for the more than 300 days of sunshine the region receives each year.
The logotype reflects the region’s characteristic tradition, modernity and openness, and the playful sparkle often seen in its residents’ eyes. A uniquely rugged typeface was developed especially for the brand to give it an unmistakable look. The interaction of all the visual elements creates a visual anchor for all types of communication while allowing considerable freedom for specific individual needs.
We worked with the South Tyrol Marketing Association and the agencies that represent several of the region’s biggest brands to come up pilot media, including packaging, end titles for TV advertising, and the new website www.suedtirol.info. We also developed seals for the region’s many agricultural products, such as wine, bacon, milk and apples, which have become a popular way to signify South Tyrolean quality.
The umbrella brand was then launched in 2005, and six months later over 1,000 companies and groups were already using the new logo. They find the support they need online at www.provinz.bz.it/Dachmarke, which includes a number of templates and detailed information on the use of the corporate design.
The umbrella brand is not the only thing that is new. The various segments have also gained a new level of understanding for one another. The South Tyrol Marketing Association now advertises not only tourist destinations, but also agricultural products. A special book on South Tyrol, various advertising campaigns and an ever growing number of TV spots present the region as one coherent entity. There’s even a trade show stand in the new South Tyrol brand look.
The brand’s clear image as an expression of strength in unity has caught the attention of other companies as well. And they all want to be a part of it. To meet this demand, we developed a label “A company from South Tyrol”, lending even more weight to the umbrella brand. A region has found its identity.
