PPA Webinar discusses the potential of the Amazon as a brand
The Partnership Platform for the Amazon (PPA), in partnership with Peabiru Institute, Climate Ventures, FutureBrand, Sol and Suzano, promoted in February a webinar to discuss how the Amazon could benefit from place branding, a strategy that creates brands for territories, allowing cities and countries to position themselves before the world as interesting tourist destinations.
The concept is still not widespread in Brazil, but it is already interesting to many social actors, because it can boost tourism and sustainable value chains. Over 70 people attended the event, including panelists, organizations and guests, creating an important forum for discussing this agenda.
Augusto Corrêa, Executive Secretary of PPA, and Bel Sobral, Partner at FutureBrand's office in São Paulo, a specialist consultancy on the subject, opened the event. To support the debate, they were followed by Gustavo Koniszczer, Director of FutureBrand in Latin America, and Daniel Valverde Bagnarello, Country Brand Director for “Essential Costa Rica”.
Both presented the development of territorial brands as transformation tools, in order to optimize local promotion efforts. Through the creation of visual identity that involves the entire chain of social agents, the strategy is able to offer several benefits, such as stimulating the economy, tourism, bringing local populations closer together and improving the quality of life. In addition, the speakers presented successful cases such as the creation of the Peru and Costa Rica brands.
“The brand's objective is to position itself in the minds of potential tourists, importers and investors, having a clear approach and methodology, involving all the key players from the beginning. The definition of the concept, consensus and commitment are essential for successful work”, said Koniszczer.
After the presentations by the specialists, the organization of the event promoted a dynamic among the participants in real time, seeking to generate a thermometer of the first impressions on the theme. Finally, the PPA opened a space for everyone to participate in the debate through questions to the panelists, which provided a very positive interaction.
The PPA provided a space to allow the articulation of these actors and to promote this debate, through its Thematic Group on Markets. The group will continue to meet, now with new stakeholders, to continue the discussion.
Watch the full webinar here.