Business First Issue2 Vol5 CH6:Layout 1 23/10/2009 14:45 Page 36
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Arts & Business
Cultural branding makes
business sense
by Mary Trainor, director, Arts & Business NI
E
ven the best known global When Davy opened their Belfast office in 2007, Mike Irvine,
brands have to work on head of Davy Northern Ireland, was aware that Davy Private
keeping their market share Clients was already well-established as the brand leader in
and reinforcing their brand profile. wealth management in the south of Ireland, but that
More and more often brands are recognition of their brand in the Northern Ireland market was
turning to cultural organisations much lower. They wanted to increase their market share by
for inspiration. positioning their name, and brand firmly within the psyche of
Cultural branding is a deeply their target market, as well as reinforce the quality of the brand
embedded appreciation of the amongst existing clients. For them, it was a natural step to
value and impact that culture can engage with the arts and initiate the Davy Portrait Award, in
have on the strategic aims and goals of an organisation; partnership with the A&B Invest programme. It was an
informing corporate strategy; engaging the organisation’s excellent opportunity that represented good value for
stakeholders and public; driving marketing and marketing spend and helped deliver on social responsibility
communications strategies and enhancing both product and objectives through helping artists with their careers.
brand development through creative innovation and arts- Another great example of the mutuality of such partnerships
based initiatives. is the joint brand marketing which forms the basis of BT’s new
Culture, it seems, matters more than ever to consumers. sponsorship agreement and relationship with Queen’s Film
Consumers now demand an interactive, inspirational Theatre.
experience to inform their purchase decision-making process, The ‘ingenuity principle’ guides BT Northern Ireland’s new
and brands need to find a new and innovative ways of keeping sponsorship strategy with a new, focused approach creating
up or getting ahead. inspirational and relevant associations. The partnership with
Investment in the arts makes long-term sense but to achieve QFT has allowed BT to create a brand experience; a community
success, cultural branding partnerships require more than just spirit and associate with a cultural occasion not just an
financial investment. individual experience, keeping the BT brand fresh and
For the collaborations between commerce and culture to
changing public perception of the organisation.
work, the partners must share similar values and have an open QFT, with access to BT’s cutting edge digital communications
mindset that allows them to explore, and accept, the dynamic technology, has been able to overhaul its website and
and process of innovation and surprise. The relationship must modernise its communications channels, incorporating social
be a holistic, mutual and sustained relationship that helps networking and digital media into its marketing mix. With
increase brand value and deliver corporate objectives. support from the Arts & Business Reach investment
The arts can transform and change lives on both an
programme, QFT was also able to facilitate the creation of Local
individual and corporate level. Arts & Business maps what is
Genius, a series of short films celebrating local innovators,
currently happening; drives new collaborations and equips
which was screened at the launch of the Reel Genius film
forward thinking businesses with the tools to accelerate out of
festival and moving forward A&B will also support a BT-inspired
the current downturn. This in turn works to secure the
viral marketing campaign to promote surprise screenings of
sustainable future of arts organisations.
cult films.
Our business members in Northern Ireland have already
The success of the Davy Portrait Award, and BT Ireland’s
started to believe in the power of cultural branding, seeing the
successful partnership of QFT, shows that cultural branding can
value and embracing the vision to inform their branding and
make a difference, and that A&B services and investment
sponsorship strategies within Ireland.
programmes can help businesses get ahead and stay there.
Susan Picken, head of QFT and Peter Morris consumer director, BT in Northern Ireland, launch of the Reel Genius Film Festival
Photo supplied by Queen’s Film Theatre
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