Let’s define our essence and create our brand

Editorial comment by Shane Scanlan

Another year is drawing to an end and still we wait for the spark that is going to activate Docklands.

Everybody knows that the future is brilliant.  But the here and now is a struggle and one of the reasons for this is our brand.

People will say that Docklands doesn’t have a brand … that we need a brand to move forward. Of course they are right.  We do need an official brand.  And we need to all work together to create one.

But it is also true to say that we already have a brand – and that brand is tarnished.

“Brand” is an interchangeable term with “reputation” and, in the wider public perception, Docklands is on the nose.

The shock-jocks, highly-opinionated social commentators (who used to perform the more mundane and currently-out-of-vogue job of reporting “news”), assorted intellectual pygmies and various other ill-informed, self-appointed experts continue to feed a circle of self-fulfilling doom and delight in our misfortune.

As reported elsewhere in this edition, 40 per cent of our restaurants closed this year and this will further damage our brand.  Which came first: Falling patronage or brand decay?  Chicken or egg?

There is plenty of blame to go around.  But what is important is that we all do something about improving our brand.

After all, we ALL feel the effects – whether we are developers trying to sell or lease property, corporations seeking to attract and retain staff, businesses trying to earn a crust, workers seeking engagement or residents interested in our house prices or just wishing to be more proud of Docklands.

We are all in this together.

Brands can’t be imposed or imported.  They need to be home-grown and owned.  So all Docklanders need to come together to talk about our reputation and how we would like to be perceived.

The Docklands Community Forum is the obvious place for this to happen.  

This entity is yet to add any value and won’t do so unless it gets its teeth into something meaty like this.  All the players are present.  Goodwill is abundant and the opportunity for positive outcomes is there to be grasped.

Our peak bodies, the Docklands Chamber of Commerce and Destination Docklands, have new political leadership.  The time has never been better for old differences to be forgotten.

The chamber has put its hand up to drive the branding process but everyone needs to contribute.

Let’s talk frankly and openly about what has gone wrong, what lessons can be learned and how we can move forward.

What are our values?  What makes us special?  What are we offering?  What do we want?  What is our essence?

Let’s define these things and work towards a common position that we can all proudly shout to the rest of the world.

Logos are typically misinterpreted as brands.  A visual representation of brand is important.  But it is what is behind the picture or tag line that is most important.

Obviously it is a difficult task to draw out and define our common story.  We all have different agendas and interests.  

But, at a time when our backs are to the wall, we simply must do it.