Concept for Öland Branding

In Southern Öland you are sometimes a little concerned to explain to visitors what the World Heritage is, there is a feeling that the World Heritage site is something big and complicated.

We need to find a way to easily explain to entrepreneurs in Södra Öland what the World Heritage site is, which would also contribute to the loss of uncertainty. The entrepreneurs could thus become ambassadors for Southern Öland's agricultural landscape.

The idea was to develop an information material for the municipality's entrepreneurs. The information material consisted of a postcard with beautiful images that easily describe the World Heritage site, a poster, sticker and logos that several entrepreneurs can use. A film in Swedish and English that easily describes the World Heritage site was also produced.

The hope is that we reach the world heritage inhabitants and visitors through the entrepreneurs.

Development Process

In order to reach out to the municipality's entrepreneurs, a clear and simple message was worked out. Simply put, this means that we translated the OUV, outstanding universal values, into a simple and captivating message. The message was presented in an information material consisting of postcards, posters, stickers, film and more. The postcards were sent to all registered entrepreneurs in the municipality.

Stakeholders

The aim was primarily to reach entrepreneurs, but the offer also benefited associations and non-profit organizations. Since Mörbylånga municipality is a small municipality with about 1 500 entrepreneurs, the idea is that we do not select any particular types of companies but make an investment for everyone.

The Product/Service

Mörbylånga municipality procured the service to produce postcards and posters of a professional agency. With the help of the County Administrative Board, the World Heritage site's outstanding universal values were translated into a short message in Swedish, English and German.

Five different World Heritage site logos were developed on different themes that can then be used freely by entrepreneurs and associations who want to include the World Heritage site in their marketing. The logos were also printed as stickers that can be put up on store doors and in windows.

Here is the link to the information regarding the logos and information on the WH site:

Logos, texts and pictures - sodraoland.com

Costs related to info campaigns, expertise regarding stakeholders and Educational activities.

Sustainability

This can contribute to entrepreneurs making greater use of the World Heritage site both on site and in their marketing, which builds the Southern Öland’s agricultural landscape brand and thus provides better conditions for a sustainable tourism industry.

Piloting

The idea of developing an information material aimed at entrepreneurs came up during a meeting of World Heritage Ambassadors at Södra Öland In October 2018. The idea was discussed during the meeting and was something that many of the participants in the meeting were in favour of.

Evaluation

The postcards sent out were very positively received, resulting in 50 entrepreneurs ordering World Heritage posters. Evaluation will be carried out continuously and if new messages in the five logos need to be worked out, that work will be done.

Costs

The cost of producing a film about the World Heritage Site, layout and printing 100 posters, 2000 postcards and printing stickers with the new logos was in total: 135 000 SEK.

Lessons Learned

We have learned a lot during the process, both by listening to our entrepreneurs and their wishes and by being inspired by other World Heritage sites and how they work. We have learned that we should have had better foresight and worked more together with the products.

Entrepreneurs are in many ways individualists and cooperation with them from the public sector must be on a voluntary basis and that they feel they benefit from it. Signing an agreement becomes a constraint and thus you risk losing participants and commitment.

Relevance to Other Sites

A World Heritage site, which is a city or landscape, is completely dependent on the people who live and work in the area. The idea of an information material aimed at entrepreneurs can be applied to the project's other World Heritage sites.

The desired result is that the entrepreneurs get a better understanding of the World Heritage site and that they also become involved in talking about it. After the evaluation, we know if there is anything that we can recommend other World Heritage sites to work out in their respective World Heritage areas.

Öland Branding and the Global Goals

Öland Branding has contributed to the Global Goals targets 8.9 Promote Beneficial and Sustainable Tourism and 11.4 Protect the World’s Cultural and Natural Heritage.