How and why brands use place of origin in helping shape their brand identity and authenticity.

Plenty of brands don’t use any particular place of origin in their branding and marketing. But plenty do. Take, for example, IKEA. Blue, yellow and very proud to be Swedish. You can even get a plate of meatballs and mash in most of their stores around the world. They really lean into their Swedish roots. The company started in the deep dark woods of Småland and they have not abandoned those roots, so to speak, since the very beginning. Even their products take their name from Swedish names, which is why I have a Billy bookcase at home. 

Then there's Bayerische Motoren Werke AG - or BMW as we all know them. Beemers are not just German but Bavarian. In fact, as Bavarian as sauerkraut, wurst and Oktoberfest. The famous blue and white propeller logo (they started out making planes for the German military) says everything about their attachment to their heritage. Despite the fact they make many vehicles not just in Munich but in England, the US, Mexico and even China. 

Then consider fashion and look at luxury brand Burberry. As quintessentially British as afternoon tea with the King and Queen. Founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry in Basingstoke, England, the brand initially gained fame for its innovative gabardine fabric, which was both waterproof and breathable, which was a perfect sales feature as this made it ideal for the crummy English weather. 

The list of products and services that leverage a place of origin is long. Apple - Designed in California, Cisco systems - from San Francisco obviously, Boston Consulting (BCG), Patagonia, Prada - from Milan, Oshkosh B'gosh, from the wonderful state of Wisconsin, and Volvo in a recent campaign even proudly proclaimed ‘Volvo Made By Sweden. 

The list goes on - just look at the food world - Philadelphia Cream Cheese,  Worcestershire sauce, Dundee cake, Evian Water or even something a bit stronger such as Glenfiddich. 

Sometimes place of origin is so important for some brands it even has legal protection. Take one of my wife’s, and Winston Churchill’s, favourite tipples - champagne. Now, for champagne to be champagne, it must come from the Champagne region of France. This is due to a protected designation of origin (PDO) under French and European law. Champagne is produced using specific methods (known as méthode champenoise) and from certain grape varieties, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, all of which must be grown in the Champagne region.

Sparkling wines made outside of Champagne, even if they use the same methods, must be labelled differently - so I’m sorry, Prosecco, Cava and Sekt, you just don’t have the same fizz. Even if they indicate they follow the same process, they cannot legally call their product champagne. Which I think is pretty fair. I just wish Cheddar, my favourite cheese, had the same PDO, as this would prevent the awful stuff they mass manufacture using the cheddar name in the supposed cheese state of Wisconsin, USA, which, in my personal opinion, tastes like soap. The crafty French from Roquefort have managed to get PDO protection for their stinky goat's cheese - so it is possible - so cheddar in England needs to pull their socks up. 

Anyway, I digress -  the question is what are the pros and cons of using a distinct place of origin for a brand and does it really pay off? Does it lead to stronger customer loyalty, improved staff morale and most importantly better sales and bottom line results?

Burberry just suffered a big dip in sales and fired the CEO - so it’s obviously no guarantee of success, so there are obviously pros and cons to be considered. 

Using a strong place of origin in branding, like IKEA’s Swedish roots or Apple’s "Designed in California," can be a powerful tool but comes with both advantages and disadvantages.

Pros:

1. Authenticity and Differentiation: A place of origin adds authenticity to a brand. For IKEA, "Sweden" signifies clean, minimalist design, while Apple’s reference to California evokes innovation and creativity. This can help differentiate the brand from competitors.
2. Cultural Identity: Associating with a specific location builds a cultural identity that resonates with consumers. IKEA’s Swedish heritage conjures notions of Scandinavian simplicity and functionality, attracting customers who value those traits.
3. Storytelling: A strong place of origin enriches the brand story. Brands can weave their heritage into marketing campaigns, deepening the emotional connection with consumers.

Cons:

1. Stereotyping: Over-emphasising place of origin can pigeonhole a brand into stereotypes that may not align with all audiences. Consumers might assume IKEA’s Swedish designs lack diversity or that Apple products are only made for Western tech enthusiasts.
2. Global Relevance: Emphasising local roots might alienate international consumers who may not relate to the brand's origin. Not all markets value Swedish minimalism or California's tech culture.
3. Operational Constraints: Highlighting origin can be problematic when production or operations are outsourced to regions that don’t match the brand’s image, leading to perceived inconsistency.

Balancing local identity with global appeal is key to leveraging place of origin effectively.

When I was working on the branding of Stockholm as The Capital of Scandinavia, we were all well aware that there would be both positives and negatives by attaching ourselves to a distinct geographic location. We deliberately chose Scandinavia over Sweden because it had no political baggage to carry, unlike a country - even Sweden. In the research groups Scandinavia scored significantly higher than Sweden or the Nordics in terms of positive attitudes and emotional response.

The issue of positioning

This is important as it goes to the very heart of one of the most important topics any marketing person will have to deal with. What is the positioning of your brand all about? Whether you choose to use a distinct geographic location or not, at some point you need to make choices and decide what you stand for - and what you do not. Positioning is about making these important choices. 

All of this comes down to a question of choosing an appropriate positioning. It’s all about finding a little space in people’s minds, where they can slot your brand in relation to the other choices they have. A little box that your brand can legitimately own.

It’s worth pointing out here that we are not necessarily looking for a tagline. Taglines and other external executional elements can be developed later. We’re looking for a centre point for the brand that is credible, relevant, simple, and available.

Leveraging a place as part of that can be a very valuable asset, which is why so many brands do it. 

‘Born in the USA (or Sweden, or Germany or Firenze… )

Join us on Thursday October 24th for a seminar looking at how and why brands use place of origin to help shape their brand identity and authenticity.

We wanted to explore this question in more detail. So you are welcome to join us when a panel of experts will discuss and debate this topic, inviting questions from the audience. 

The event will have five expert panellists including Lotti Ungerth, Global Medical Marketing Director for Italian aesthetics brand RELIFE. Michael Persson Gripkow, Course Director Place Branding, Berghs School of Communication Stockholm, Sweden. Anna Gissler, former CEO Invest Stockholm, Julian Reisz, Director of Open innovation & Lab at Arla Foods and Julian Stubbs, strategic global branding head at UP THERE, EVERYWHERE.

Maddy Savage, a Stockholm-based British broadcaster and producer, will moderate the session. With twenty years of experience working for high-profile global media outlets, including the BBC, Maddy will put your questions to our panel of experts.

Go to the event page by clicking here or fill in the form below for more details of this event and to register to attend in person or online. 

We'll have a post event get together where some tasty (and authentic!) English cheddar snacks and German hot dogs will be served. 

This seminar follows up on our February 14th seminar Has the world fallen out of love with the Swedish brand?