Key takeaways from 2024

There’s always more to learn than can be captured in a few bullet points, but there were several connecting threads that ran through the insightful conversations … 

• We’re facing a time of great geopolitical uncertainty, but now is the time more than ever for global citizenship. As we redefine international relations, values should be at the heart of your strategy – they are the foundations on which diplomacy is based.
  
  
• Your values aren’t something you say; they’re something you perform. However, you can’t stay stagnant – you have to constantly test your values and messaging against your residents to ensure they’re still relevant.
  
  
• Place brand teams can’t solve all your community’s challenges – but they can and should be key players in finding solutions. Ask yourself – how does your brand create a platform that helps you solve the challenges you’re facing?
  
  
• Place leaders should have a seat at the top table, but you have to create your seat. At the end of the day, stakeholder management is a people business; invest in the human interaction that make those relationships thrive.
  
  
• The purpose and scope of place brand and place marketing organisations is growing rapidly, but we need to evolve our governance and funding models to catch up with these new purposes and deliver change for our communities.
  
  
• Measure the difference you’re really making, and don’t be afraid to be honest about where you are making a difference, and where you’re not. It’s better to have a small number that’s real to share with your stakeholders than a large number that’s not.
  
  
• You can start small, but you have to start to see what works. Be brave, try new things, and work to scale what’s successful.
  
  
• At the end of the day, the best ambassadors for your place are your residents. Empower them to be part of your story – even if it means letting going of some control. And don’t underestimate the energy that your private sector can bring to your strategy.
  
  
• AI is rapidly transforming the way we interact with visitors and investors. Embrace experimentation, embrace risk, and be prepared to fail and learn fast. But don’t forget to consider the environmental impact. An AI search uses 30x the carbon of a traditional Google search – but does it deliver 30x the value?