In one sense, a city, like every other kind of place, is a collection of stories. We all know there’s a real city out there. But we’re human. We only know about it from the ways we describe it - the stories we tell.
What’s more, every city, and every place within it, can be described in several ways, from all sorts of perspectives. These are our place narratives. As place marketers, therefore, we need to ask ourselves: which stories should we choose to tell? And what do we hope to achieve by telling them?
Before a recent trip to Budapest, I did what weekend breakers often do - I spent just a little time on tourism websites finding out about the places I planned to visit. I learned that Castle Hill was once the seat of kings and emperors - a place of stunning Baroque palaces, Gothic churches and the ‘fairytale-like white towers’ of the Fisherman’s Bastion.
And when I visited, in good company, I wasn’t disappointed. I experienced a place of beauty and romance; a portal back to Austria-Hungary’s golden age. As tourists, we felt all the things we had hoped to feel, and perhaps were intended to feel.
Only later, inspired to find out more, did I uncover a much more complex story. The wartime destruction here had been far more extensive than the simple ’tourism narrative’ suggested. And when the district was rebuilt by the post-war communist government, many of the Baroque buildings were recreated in a different, simpler style - more attuned to their socialist ideology.
Now, in a time of resurgent traditionalism, Castle Hill is being restored to its late-19th Century appearance, eradicating traces of the communist past in the process. This narrative, it turns out, has more layers than the hill itself, from the catacombs beneath your feet to the tip of the Matthias Church tower. And it’s one in which nothing is quite what it appears to be.
So was this the real story? And was the simple, alluring tourism narrative just fakery?
I wouldn’t say so. Castle Hill was the seat of kings and emperors. The architecture is Baroque and Gothic in style, and it’s certainly stunning. Being here does take you back to a lost age of imperial splendour. And, in the right light, Fisherman’s Bastion is ‘fairytale-like’. What’s more, the story inspires people to come here, have a wonderful time, and contribute to the local economy.
The ’tourism’ narrative is, therefore, a legitimate one, which, as place marketers, we can think about in this way: it’s intended for a target audience of short-stay visitors with primarily emotional motivations - to enjoy a pleasant and possibly romantic experience. But they also have limited time and no real ‘stake’ in the place. So the place marketer’s focus is on creating awareness, quickly, with concise, impactful messages and images.
In contrast, the more complex story is likely to appeal to different audiences: people who want to understand the place in depth. They might be high-value cultural tourists, seeking a richer, more sophisticated experience, or prospective residents who want to really understand what makes the city tick. They could be existing residents - stakeholders who need to be informed about, and brought along with, a potentially controversial redevelopment project, or developers themselves, who need to understand the local context, so they can manage risk. Generally speaking, these are likely to be audiences with more rational motivations. And the place marketer’s focus will be on enabling their consideration of the place, with more detailed, information-rich content.
Castle Hill is just one example of a place with many stories. As place marketers, our choice of which stories to tell should be based on an understanding of the people we want to talk to and hope to influence. What are their motivations, needs and interests? What’s their stake in the place? And what are our goals in talking to them?
Nick SmillieSenior Consultant - Place Marketing
