How effective is it to use the history of nations for modern territorial marketing strategies? In different parts of the world, many countries are still asking themselves this crucial question, wondering whether or not it is opportune to insist on certain historical facts that, being well imprinted in the collective imagination of many people, could represent a useful strategic weapon to promote the territory, to strengthen the tourism sector, or even simply to give a historically coherent framework to all the promotional content already created for the same purpose.
Nowadays, in the era of social media and online communication, every city in the world has the precious opportunity to promote itself in a creative way and reach an impressive number of potential tourists, who might be stimulated or intrigued by a piece of content casually spotted online, a photo or video of a certain landscape, or the touching story of a local inhabitant, and subsequently make the decision to book a ticket to that country and visit the city or natural settings that impressed them online.
The opportunities of digitization
The cities of the world, in a way, have a truly unique opportunity, because people – with very few exceptions – seem to choose their travel destinations in a completely random manner, without any real selection criteria, perhaps letting themselves be convinced by the fame of the location or the notoriety of its attractions, which they may have heard about on television or on a YouTube video.
With ad-hoc content, created specifically to attract new tourists to their countries, cities thus have the opportunity to capture the attention of unknown people, perhaps living on the other side of the world, even if only with a brief thread on Twitter or a high-impact video spread on Instagram, or with an exciting story appropriately spread through the communication channels activated by the city.
The most complicated part, from this point of view, is precisely that which has to do with the creation of content suitable for such a purpose, and which will ultimately play a truly decisive role in the effective engagement of potential tourists. Many nations, from this point of view, might ask themselves whether it is appropriate to create content that refers to their past, thus creating a very strong cognitive hook with their interlocutors. The West Indies and the Caribbean, from this point of view, could also think about creating engaging content related to the seafaring exploits of pirates, the privateers who raged in the numerous islets that make up the Caribbean archipelagos, and who have entered even more into the collective imagination thanks to books, television series and films centered on the figures of the most famous pirates of antiquity.
A communication based on this kind of historicity would certainly arouse the interest of an extremely varied audience, including adults and children, but it would also risk unearthing some particularly uncomfortable and thorny issues, such as anything having to do with slavery, thus increasing the possibility of generating content that would be extremely dangerous for the city’s reputation and image. The best solution, from this point of view, is to select only those unassailable and completely harmless historical elements, capable of having a magnificent effect on web users and potential tourists.
A weapon to be used with caution
References to the past are generally a powerful communication lever, but must be used with extreme caution. For certain brands, and especially those that have already successfully completed the transition from physical to digital, re-proposing content from the past could prove counterproductive, and could ultimately unsettle the public and their most loyal stakeholders, who have long since become accustomed to a more modern and dynamic style.
A perfect solution to this problem has been found by some of the best brands specializing in online gambling, which, over the years, have been able to keep the charm and atmosphere of traditional, land-based casinos intact, transferring them online thanks to the magical artifices of digital communication.
On these portals, one will therefore find not only the most exciting casino games and top online casino bonuses, but also a true immersive and engaging experience in the universe of gambling, just like the one we have begun to glimpse in films and television series dedicated to casinos. The presence of useful reviews and valuable guides within the portals will also allow inexperienced players to familiarize themselves immediately with all the games’ functionalities, with continuous and regular support from the very first stages of registration.
The past is an incandescent matter, to be treated with care. But its well-considered use, in some cases, can generate wonderful effects you never thought you would see.