Co-Creating a Place Brand with Young People: Insights from the Tasmanian Youth Story at the IPBA Conference

At the International Place Branding Association (IPBA) Conference at Lund University, Sweden, Folket Consultancy had the privilege to present insights on place branding with a focus on engaging young people. The presentation was led by Jessica Radford, Director of Place Branding and Operations at Brand Tasmania, alongside Linda Karlsson from Folket Consultancy. 

About the IPBA Conference  

The 7th annual IPBA conference was held at Lund University, Campus Helsingborg in Sweden. The theme of this year’s conference was “Place Branding in times of crisis and uncertainty”. The IPBA is a non-profit global organisation comprising of academics, professionals, and individuals passionate about place branding and place marketing. The IPBA conference serves as an important platform for sharing knowledge and experiences in place branding. 

Exploring the Tasmanian Youth Story: A Case Study in Place Branding 

Our presentation centred on a case study from the "Tasmanian Youth Story" project, delivered by Brand Tasmania in collaboration with the Youth Network of Tasmania (YNOT) and young people across Tasmania, Australia. The initiative aimed to explore and define the Tasmanian place brand from the perspective of young people aged 18 to 25 years. Using a multi-method approach, the project captured the diverse experiences of young Tasmanians, articulating their needs and aspirations for the future of their home state through a youth-focused place brand story. 

Why Youth Engagement Matters in Place Branding 

Historically, young people have been underrepresented in place branding efforts (Pevnaya et al., 2022; Skelton and Gough, 2013; O’Loughlin and Sloam, 2022; Woolley, 2000). Traditional top-down approaches often fail to connect with the everyday needs and desires of the community (Gilboa and Joffe, 2021; Hereźniak and Anders-Morawska, 2021). This gap highlights the importance of involving young people in the branding process to ensure their voices are heard and their perspectives are integrated. 

Navigating Today's Youth Challenges and Place Branding 

In our presentation, we emphasised the current climate of crisis and uncertainty, which significantly affects young people. Issues such as the unaffordability of housing, rising cost-of-living, insecure job markets, and climate change anxiety are prevalent (Borland and Coelli, 2021; Headspace, 2023; Connolly, Moore, and Robinson, 2022; Hickman et al., 2021). Young people in Tasmania are not immune from these pressures, and there are Tasmanian-specific challenges that add further complexity: fewer than 60 per cent of young Tasmanians graduated from high school in 2021, far below the national average, and attendance has fallen since the pandemic (Baker, 2021; Inglis, 2023). Historically, Tasmanians have been mocked, misunderstood, and underestimated by mainland Australians which has led to a lack of pride, confidence and aspiration. The economic, social and cultural consequences of this impact the entire Tasmanian community. 

Brand Tasmania and Place Branding across the State 

Place branding is an important initiative for Tasmania, with the Tasmanian Government establishing Brand Tasmania as Australia’s first statutory place branding authority in March 2019. The broad objective of Brand Tasmania is to differentiate and enhance Tasmania’s appeal and competitiveness; ensure that Tasmania’s reputation is strengthened locally, nationally, and internationally; and ensure that the Tasmanian brand is nurtured, enhanced and promoted as a key asset of the Tasmanian community (Brand Tasmania Act 2018).    

Unpacking the Tasmanian Youth Story: Lessons from Brand Tasmania 

Brand Tasmania recognised the importance of understanding how young Tasmanians felt about the state and their place in it. Delivering this project involved a unique partnership between Tasmania’s peak body for young people, the Youth Network of Tasmania (YNOT), Brand Tasmania, and young people. The project utilised a participatory approach from project design, through development to implementation and engaged young people in the place branding project. Central to this project’s methodology was the use of in-depth one-on-one interviews and regional workshops, conducted by peer interviewers who were supported to develop skills in interviewing and social research.    

185 young Tasmanians aged 18-25 years participated, including through a Youth Advisory Board and working groups to co-design and identify project outcomes, shape the methodology, interpret the results, and assist with the final project evaluation. 

Youth Voices in Place Branding: Key Findings from Brand Tasmania and Folket Consultancy's IPBA presentation 

The presentation of the case study at the conference provided several key learnings and recommendations for engaging young people in place branding for practitioners. 

• Involvement: Actively involve young people in the branding process to ensure their perspectives are accurately represented. 

• Capacity Building: Equip young participants with skills in research and interviewing to enhance their engagement and contribution and allow young people to successfully conduct the research.  

• Alignment: Ensure that policies and projects align with the needs and aspirations of young people. 

Strategies for Inclusive Place Branding: Engaging Young Tasmanians 

The Tasmanian Youth Story highlighted the value of engaging local stakeholders, especially young people, in the process of defining a place brand. The final report from the project has given decision-makers across government, business, and the community in Tasmania a deeper understanding of young people’s needs to create a more equitable Tasmania that benefits everyone.    

For more information about place branding and Folket Consultancy, please contact us.  

About Brand Tasmania

Brand Tasmania is Australia’s first statutory place-branding authority, created under the Brand Tasmania Act 2018. Brand Tasmania launched in 2019 as a new model for place-branding, based on research, a unifying cultural expression, and a project-based strategy. Brand Tasmania help Tasmanians express the Tasmanian brand. For more information, visit the Brand Tasmania website.

About Folket Consultancy

Hej! "Folket" is Swedish and means "The People", think 'folks' in English. We’re a boutique consultancy based in lutruwita/Tasmania. Founded by Linda Karlsson, Folket Consultancy is a collective of experienced consultants. Our team of folks love to work on collaborative projects that create an impact in our communities. Between us, we offer expertise in evaluation, research, facilitation of workshops and community consultation, co-design and program development, community and stakeholder engagement, as well as strategic communication. We tailor our team and services to your needs. Do you think you have a Folket job? Let’s explore how we can collaborate, contact us here.  

References: 

Baker, E. (2021). Fewer than 60 per cent of Tasmanian students finish year 12 but that could be changing. ABC News. 11 June 2021. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-11/tasmanian-high-school-low-retention-rates-changing/100205658 (Accessed 30 June 2023).  

Borland, J., and Coelli, M. (2021). Is it 'dog days' for the young in the Australian labour market? Australian Economic Review, 54(4), 421–444. doi:10.1111/1467-8462.12431 

Brand Tasmania (2023). About Brand Tasmania. Available at: https://tasmanian.com.au/brand-tasmania (Accessed: 30 June 2023). 

Brand Tasmania Act 2018. Available: https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2018-037 (Accessed: 30 June 2023). 

Connolly, T., Moore, S. and Robinson, C. (2022). Making youth homelessness a priority: calling for a Standalone National Child and Youth Housing and Homelessness Strategy. University Of Tasmania. Journal contribution. https://hdl.handle.net/102.100.100/23026529.v1 Available at: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/yfoundations/pages/370/attachments/original/1675142880/Parity_Article_Oct_%28003%29.pdf?1675142880 (Accessed: 30 June 2023). 

Gilboa, S. and Jaffe, E. (2021). Can one brand fit all? Segmenting city residents for place branding. Cities, vol. 116, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2021.103287 

Headspace (2023). National Youth Mental Health Survey: Cost of living pressures for young Australians aged 18-25. Available at: https://headspace.org.au/assets/20230327_Cost_of_Living_Infographic_V6.pdf (Accessed: 30 June 2023).  

Hereźniak, M., and Anders-Morawska, J. (2021). Public value-driven place branding. The way forward? Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, vol. 17, pp. 65-77. 

Hickman, C. et al. (2021) ‘Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: A global survey’, The Lancet Planetary Health, 5(12). https://doi:10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00278-3.  

Inglis, R. (2023). Attendance rates at Tasmanian Year 11 and 12 extension schools prompt calls for program review. The Mercury. 7 July 2023. Available at: https://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/attendance-rates-at-tasmanian-year-11-and-12-extension-schools-prompt-calls-for-program-review/news-story/11828570e87b4f273a008e1c5a63da18 (Accessed 7 July 2023).  

O’Loughlin, B. and Sloam, J. (2022). Cycles of insecurities: Understanding the everyday politics of young Londoners. Cities, vol. 27, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2022.103743 

Pevnaya, M., Kostina, S., Cernicova-Bucă, M., Kazmierczyk, J. and Asoyan, L. (2022). Potential of Youth Participation in Local Territory Branding Management. Lex Localis – Journal of Local Self-Government, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 193-214. 

Skelton, T. and Gough, K. V. (2013). Introduction: Young People’s Im/Mobile Urban Geographies. Urban Studies, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 455-466.  

Woolley, H. (2000). Town Centre Management Awareness: an Aid to Developing Young People’s Citizenship. Cities, vol, 17, no. 6, pp. 453-459.