Branding lesson: McDs vs Wānaka

Maccas is causing some DRAAAMA here in Wānaka.

(or as my twins strangely like to call it "Aunty Donalds" - I've a sneaky suspicious it's evolved from when they were still learning to speak and thought it was related to the old MacDonald who had a farm, as opposed to the McDonald's who had $25 billion)

I feel like I'd get kicked out of my new town if I revealed some of the funny comments being had in the local facebook group, but let's just say I had no idea Maccas was so polarising.

I mean, duh, it's a global health hazard but here it's the level of gonna disown some friends or commit some casual wilful damage crimes, kind of polarising.

And while that's pretty lukewarm tea, it's actually a great example of branding... let me explain.

The reason Wānaka peeps are so up in arms about the rumoured arrival of the big yellow arches, is because it's not on brand for the town.

Yep, Wānaka is a brand, and I'm not just talking about their literal tourism brand, I mean the actual town itself is a brand.

Their brand is built on the ideas of...

Local eateries - not global chains.

Natural paradise - not big fast food signs.

Small and quirky - not like everyone else.

Here for adventure - not for materialism.

It's interesting to watch as an outsider.

Even as I write this I'm watching this branding in action. Tourists keep coming into the cafe asking for takeaway coffees, then being told "sorry, we only do reusable takeaway cups here".

Whether they realise it or not, locals saying "that's not us", "that would make us Queenstown" in response to chicken nuggets on their doorstep (verbatim from locals I was yarning to) is them looking after their brand. It's them protecting some of the reasons why people choose to visit and to live here.

Who knows who will win in this showdown, but it serves as a pretty great reminder that your brand is how customers (for Wānaka it's locals and visitors) see you.

And is made up of your values and actions, as much as it is any pretty logo.

Food* for thought.

*As long as it's not from Maccas.