Boat & Motor Dealer / Marina Dock Age, December 2007

Is branding marinas good for the industry?
by Dennis P. Kissman

We live in a branded world.

Why? Branding gives recognition to a product or service; the more recognition achieved in the marketplace the easier it is to sell what you have to offer, be it a product or service.

Today there is a trend in the marina industry for brand recognition, and why not? It works in other industries. Branding is not new to marinas either. Back in the mid-1980s, Westrec Marinas pioneered the idea of branding by acquiring marinas in a number of entities and managing them under the Westrec banner. Others have attempted branding through the years with varying degrees of success, and today there is a growing push to brand an image for everyone from regional boaters to the global mega yacht market. There are a number of firms investing in acquiring marinas to build a portfolio and offer a brand image to the boating community.

Branding techniques use different approaches to create specific levels of expectations for marina customers. The most important approach to creating a brand image is through the look of the facility. I remember many years ago when a Howard Johnson’s or a Holiday Inn didn’t require signage to identify the facility. When you drove by one of its locations, you recognized by the shape of the building. Pizza Hut has successfully used this technique as well.

Properly using logos is another approach to create brand recognition. I believe everyone reading this article recognizes the Chevrolet and Nike logos, yet neither have any identifying words in them. Besides the use of a logo, a marina could use a particular name, slogan, color, or design format to create a brand image. One of the most important approaches to creating a brand image for a marina is best described as customer expectations. This is best exemplified by Best Western Hotels, which sets the standard to which independently owned and operated hotels adhere. No two of its hotels look the same, yet a customer checking into a Best Western Hotel expects a certain level of service and quality from the facility. The pinnacle of branding occurs when the brand name eclipses the product category such as Coke (how many people ask for a carbonated beverage?), Kleenex, and Scotch Tape.

How does the marina industry fit into the branding scheme of things? First, branding is for the consolidator, those individuals or entities that are accumulating multiple marina properties. However, just because one is consolidating properties does not mean branding is the answer.

Let us go back to that old industry cliché “no two marinas are alike.” If we buy into that statement, then what is there to brand? We go back to branding customer expectations. This works if your customer base is transient and your properties are located on the route the transient boater typically travels or, if your properties have overlapping markets. By this, I mean your customer has more than one of your marinas to choose from for his boating enjoyment.   Continue »

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