Cannes is known for its Annual Film Festival, the grand daddy of all film festivals in the world, founded in 1939. When Mayor Bernard Brochand won the office in March 2001, he used his enormous background in advertising to create the Cannes brand. He developed a new interest, a consciousness that highlights Cannes as a city with so much more to offer beyond the Film festival. Brand Nicholas Ind (3) defined brand as “something that is owned by buyers and other stockholders. ” Brand is a concept created to transform a tangible idea into something of value.
It is the sum total of all the experiences and perceptions that resides in the hearts and minds of customers. Ind (57) added that brand building is a vital technique for companies and government who want to use the forces of globalization to their advantage. Cannes Brand Mayor Bernard Brochand, a man who hailed from the advertising industry started a new campaign for Cannes. Knowing the importance of communication and promotion, he capitalized on the diverse features of the city to create a new Cannes.Cannes is a unique city with around 75,000 local residents (Hatfield, 2000) and 2 million guests every year. While it is a popular winter getaway, for most of the year, the city was empty.
To balance this out, Mayor Bernard Brochand created the Cannes brand. The brand established Cannes as the host not only of the most affluent film festival in the world but of 120 other festivals distributed within 310 days of the year. It also establishes Cannes as the “most glamorous summer leisure destination for jetsetting Middle East travellers, with a series of special art, culture and music festivals” (Attia, 2007).In his address during the 2008 TFWA World Exhibition, Bonchard talked about his experience in working with brands such as Procter and Gamble, DDB Worldwide, the Paris Saint Germain Soccer team and lastly, Cannes as a copyrighted brand (Bonchard, 2008). Through his efforts, the City of Cannes developed a new appeal as the international capital of a lifestyle renowned for its harmonious blend of luxury and beauty, leisure and pleasure (Attia, 2007). It is a premier destination both for travelers looking for summer heat and winter refuge.
The new Cannes is an all-year destination filled with good things to offer.Today, there are around 10,000 to 30,000 visitors that flood in each week as tourists and conference delegates. They bring in FFr 4 billion (U. S.
$524 million) a year through the city's 5,000 hotel rooms, 5,000 rental residences, and the famously expensive bars and restaurants (Hatfield, 2001). Ultimate Film Experience Cannes City capitalized on its number one asset, the world-famous and most attended film festival held May of each year. The two-week celebration draws movie producers, directors, distributors, actors, journalists and fans from all over the world.During his term, Mayor Bonchard promoted not only the magical sparkle of the cinema but also the undisputed center of the cinema world, no other than Cannes. In an interview, Boncard revealed that “Globalization is everywhere. You need some time in the year to meet everyone from around the world, and to exchange ideas.
It is a way of showcasing that we are a business that's dynamic and in good shape" (Hatfield, 2001). He recognizes the reality of globalization and its role in a city like Cannes. He capitalized on the event to promote Cannes’ potential as a leader in the competitive world of tourism, entertainment and business industry.Beyond Film Festivals Aside from the film festival, Cannes is also a host to 120 conferences and festivals a year. The book, music, shopping, fireworks, advertising, games, International Actors’ Performance Festival and luxury travel market are just some of the examples.
Under Mayor Bonchard, these events were given more attention and media coverage, drawing more crowds and keeping a steady the influx of visitors all-year round. Beyond Festivals In Cannes, there is definitely much more than festivals and conferences. The list of Cannes brand extends to some of the most beautiful hotels in Europe.The Le Carlton on the Croisette, was built in 1912 and is considered one of the most photographed hotels in the world.
Other attractions in Cannes include picturesque beaches for summer visitors, museums filled with artifacts from prehistoric to present, grand villas, cafes, restaurants and boutiques. The shopping precinct between Rue D'Antibes and the Croisette offers a smorgasbord of the greatest French and international haute couture and ready-to-wear brands (Attia, 2007). The New Cannes Cannes today means more than a Film Festival.It has evolved from being simply a festival host to a luxurious brand with a whole range of good things and experiences to offer. Mayor Bernard Bonchard started a marketing strategy that revolutionized the city. Recognizing the distinct characteristics of Cannes and its potential to compete with the rest of the world, he launched a communication campaign building a new reputation for Cannes.
The city’s reputation as the biggest film festival host presents an edge not only in terms of reputation and tourism but in the bigger scheme of globalization.According to Boncard, “Globalization has already become an intrinsic part of our daily lives and vital to our industries. Cannes highlights the need for countries to step up to the plate and become competitive not only at home but also internationally” (Hatfield, 2001). With this in mind, he created an advertising campaign that puts Cannes on top of the world.
Making the Brand Bonchard’s election into the office presented him with the opportunity to promote and differentiate Cannes from other cities of the world. Cannes has a lot to offer but lacked the reputation.The extreme popularity of the Film festival takes all the glory, leaving the city’s lesser popular attributes to oblivion. Bonchard is aware of the great potential of Cannes. He knew the city has a lot more to offer. He recognized a great brand worthy of development.
He knew it only takes a good campaign to launch Cannes into new heights. Bonchard has a good product and his rich advertising experience cannot be discounted, the marriage of the two presented a perfect scenario. The success of the campaigns placed Cannes in a new light in the eyes of the world.Today, Cannes attracts an array of tourists, no longer just visiting for the festivals but eager to experience Cannes, the global destination.
It is not just about creating the brand; it is also keeping up with the global trend and times. Conclusion Cannes is a great city with a lot to offer. Though known as world’s host of the biggest film festival, it was underrated as a tourist destination. After the festivals, the curtains close and Cannes fades with the scene, in oblivion until the next festival begins. Mayor Bernard Bonchard recognized this dilemma of Cannes.
Having faith in the fact that Cannes has a lot more to offer than its cinemas and conference rooms, he started an ambitious global campaign that aims to put Cannes in the map and compete with the world’s finest, best and most popular cities. He created the Cannes brand, a symbol of luxury, lifestyle, passion, relaxation, entertainment, education, shopping and style. The Cannes brand is a total package that offers the best in entertainment, tourism and service. It is not just being known, it is about delivering what the brand promised - the ultimate Cannes experience, available only in Cannes.
