Published Dec 06, 2024
Toluna
The spirit of celebration is strong at Toluna as we celebrate our 10-year partnership with one of our most dynamic partners: the Rotterdam. Make it Happen. brand alliance. This is a unique collaboration among 40 leading Rotterdam-based companies who have partnered up to enhance Rotterdam’s appeal, both nationally and internationally, by creating a cohesive and powerful brand identity for the city.
Over the past decade, our Brand Fame solution has been instrumental in elevating Rotterdam’s brand awareness and impact through measuring, optimizing, and amplifying the city’s campaigns and activities. To learn more about our partnership, I interviewed Alma Musinovic, City Branding Strategic at the city of Rotterdam, and our very own Gilbert Saktoe, Lead Discovery Observation and Digital Brand Specialist.
Q: Thank you both for being here today. To begin, what are the key elements of effective city branding
Alma Musinovic: City branding starts with knowing what makes us us. In Rotterdam, we embrace value-driven work. Which means that we build our brand around the core values that define our city. As our City Branding Strategist, I work in the Communications department which is dedicated to making Rotterdam a place that people want to choose—whether it is to live, work, study or to visit. Our mission is to build a city where residents, entrepreneurs, students, and visitors feel proud and connected to Rotterdam. A city they believe in, trust, and feel at home in.
Another key element is taking a collaborative approach to everything we do. Rotterdam’s brand alliance and the city’s collective mindset drive everything we achieve. It gives our city branding the strength to resonate far and wide. We focus on celebrating what makes Rotterdam unique. This means highlighting our resilience, embracing experimentation, and empowering the communities that define our city.
Measuring impact is the cornerstone of achieving our goals, and collecting data is essential to this. Only by tracking our progress can we understand the effectiveness of our branding efforts and optimize them to reach our goals. And that’s where Brand Fame has helped us tremendously.
Gilbert Saktoe: Indeed. With Brand Fame, we’ve been able to capture the pulse of how the world truly feels about the city. While traditional surveys offer insights, Brand Fame taps into user-generated content to reveal unfiltered opinions that paint a vivid picture of the city’s digital reputation. It’s like having a conversation with the world, with every post and comment telling a story. This solution lets cities track trends, engage influencers, and fine-tune their brand with the depth and speed needed for success in today’s fast-paced world.
Q: We have been collaborating for over ten years—a real milestone! How would you describe this partnership and its impact?
Alma Musinovic: In a nutshell: incredibly rewarding. This partnership is built on a solid foundation of mutual respect and shared goals. One reason for our success is our commitment to the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle. We continually improve and refine our approach with each project, thanks to Brand Fame’s insights and adaptability. Over the years, we’ve become more effective in our city marketing, always working towards making Rotterdam shine.
Gilbert Saktoe: Adding to that, I’d say trust, open communication, and mutual respect form the foundation of a successful partnership, but what truly sets the tone for success is open-mindedness and the willingness to innovate. As we’ve seen, embracing new ideas and open collaboration sparks meaningful change. I admire Alma and the team’s no-nonsense mentality and their motto: “actions speak louder than words” (or how Rotterdammers would say, “niet lullen maar poetsen“). This pragmatic approach cultivates a culture centered on efficiency and focus, facilitating a partnership that is both productive and impactful.
Q: How have Brand Fame’s insights influenced your city marketing strategies and decision making?
Alma Musinovic: They’ve been invaluable to our strategies. The data-driven approach allows us to see opportunities we might not have considered before and helps us make well-informed decisions. For example, their analyses help us understand public sentiment around specific topics, allowing us to adjust our messages and justify our strategies with solid data. The experts in Gilbert’s team constantly identify opportunities where we can amplify our reach and connect with our audience.
Q: Can you share any specific campaigns where Brand Fame made a significant impact?
Alma Musinovic: One of my favorite campaigns was the Eurovision Song Contest, which brought immense visibility to Rotterdam. With Brand Fame’s help, we assessed how the city was perceived globally and how well the event aligned with our marketing goals. The data revealed key insights on our audience’s perceptions, reach, and overall impact, giving us a clear understanding of the event’s success. Having this kind of measurable feedback enabled us to demonstrate our achievements and refine our strategies for future events.
Gilbert Saktoe: I wholeheartedly agree that the Eurovision Song Contest was one of our proudest moments, not to mention how fun it was to work on it! We also had a lot of fun working on the King’s Day promotion. The insights discovered by Brand Fame across these two campaigns were super impactful. Capturing such moments is never simple—it requires a delicate balance of human insight and AI precision. Amid the noise and the vast amount of data, it’s about finding the signals that truly influence a city’s brand. With the right mix of intuition and technology, we can capture the essence of what makes an initiative like Eurovision so powerful. I’m glad we were a part of a campaign that was so influential.
Q: What advice would you offer to other organizations considering a Brand Fame program? What benefits have their solutions provided for your city marketing efforts?
Alma Musinovic: For any organization that wants to have a comprehensive view of how their brand is perceived online beyond their campaigns, Brand Fame is a powerful solution. It offers insights on whether your brand evokes positive or negative associations, who is sharing it, and in what context. These insights have been essential for us when planning our city marketing strategies. In short, with Brand Fame, you gain the knowledge that allows you to adapt and improve. And when you measure effectively, you can see what works and what does not. And that makes all the difference in achieving long-term success.
Q: Where do you see the focus of city marketing heading in the next few years?
Alma Musinovic: I see it revolving around a combination of vibrant city life and a high quality of life for all residents. Our goal is to create an energetic urban environment that doesn’t compromise on livability: a balance that truly represents the values of Rotterdam. The harmony is where I see the focus of city marketing heading. Because we want and have to ensure that everything we do supports and resonates with the people of Rotterdam.
Gilbert Saktoe: Well said. On a concluding note, I’d like to give my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been part of this 10-year journey. Your support, dedication, and shared vision have made this partnership a success, and we are deeply grateful for each step we’ve taken together. I can’t wait to see where the next 10 years take us!
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