Regional Branding in the Czech Republic

1. Regional Branding in the Czech Republic Kateřina Čadilová Asociace regionálních značek, o.s. / Association of the Regional Brands

2. Regional brand guarantees • Origin – opportunity among global products • Quality = criteria similar throughout Europe; • Respect to the environment • Maximum content of local raw materials • Specifity within the respective region, restoration or creation of a tradition, extraordinary quality

3. Regional brands do NOT mean • Conservation of tradition – not only keeping and renovation of tradition but also building of new ones • Only local raw materials –only one of several criteria, not a obligatory condition • Only local entrepreneurs – production site must be within the region, not the official address • Certification of all products – only individual products or defined groups get labels

4. Development of the branding in the Czech Republic: • Starting point – tourist areas

5. Initial project:‘Natura 2000 – People for nature, nature for people’ • Regional environmental centre CR implementation 2004-2005, co-financed by the European Commission – DG Environment, Ministry of Environment

6. Progress of the branding: 2005 2006 2007

7. Setting up of the Association: 2008 2009 2010 2011

8. AssociationoftheRegionalBrands

9. 444 certificates pro products, 46 for services • Sophisticated system – know how for introduction and granting of a brand • Inclusion of different players – prevalence of Local Action Groups, but also other types of organisations • Universality– wide scale of products and services • Single visual identity – common visual style • Cross-border potential – Slovakia, Poland, Germany

10. Bottom-upprinciple Working group – workshops in the region Establishing a Regional Brand • entrepreneurs, public authorities (incl. nature protection), NGOs • logo of the brand, borders of the region, rules • regional co-ordinator, certification commission • promotion of the brand, common activities • financial sources

11. Producers ARZ NationalCo-ordinator How the Branding System Works Regional Co-ordinator Certification Commission

12. Origin in the region - local producer, the main production phase Quality - at least standard No harm to the environment Link with the region - local tradition (0-5 points) - local raw material (0-5 p.) - hand-made (0-5 p.) - regional motive, specificity (0-5 p.) - extra quality / representativeness (0-5 p.)  at least 10 points Certification Criteria

13. To use the brand for the certified products • commonlabelsorstickers, own label, individualsolution • To meetthecriteria • randominspectionvisits • To pay a fee • 1 500 to 5 000 CZE (cca 60 to 200 EUR) Producers’ Duties (2 years)

14. printed matter (leaflets, catalogues) • seasonal regional bulletins • regional media • network of selling-points • local fairs etc. Activities in the Regions

15. Promotion, presentation- both regional and national level Not only the labelling

16. www.regionalni-znacky.cz

17. www.regional-products.eu

18. Networking of selling points • Fairs and presentations prezentace Additional activities • Co-operation with other organisations in the Czech Republic and abroad

19. Special features of regional brands in the Czech Republic: • According to the type of the co-ordinator: • Associations of producers (Beskydy and formerly also Krkonoše) • Agencies of destination management (Šumava, Českosaské Švýcarsko, Broumovsko – Český ráj outside ARZ) • Development agencies (Vysočina, Moravská brána) • LAGs(Krkonoše, Moravský kras, Orlické hory, Moravské Kravařsko, Polabí, Podkrkonoší, Haná, Jeseníky, Prácheňsko, Železné hory – otside ARZ Jizerské hory, Lužické hory, small labels in Southern and Western Bohemia) • Others (Górolsko Swoboda, Kraj blanických rytířů – outside ARZ TBK)

20. Special features of regional brands in the Czech Republic: • According to the type of the area: • Popular tourist destinations (Šumava, Krkonoše, Moravský kras, Orlické hory, Českosaské Švýcarsko, Jeseníky) • Border regions (v Čechách většina) • Agricultural areas (Polabí, Podkrkonoší, Haná) • Folklore or historical lands (Prácheňsko, Haná, Moravské Kravařsko, Beskydy, Górolsko Swoboda) • Administrative region (Vysočina) • Micro-region (Železné hory) • Protected landscape areas (Broumovsko) • ‘New region’ (Kraj blanických rytířů)

21. Simple principles – fast, flexible, individual approach • Low costs (relatively) • Minimal burden for the producers • Trust in the branding system, relevant for producers (regional pride) • Not only certification: promotion, collaboration, networking, events Strengths of regional branding in CR

22. Too broad to be understandable (pros invert sometimes to cons – too many types of producers, too many objectives) • Unclear definition of areas • Weak publicity – low awareness in general public • Almost no sale opportunities • Dependence on public funds Weaknessesof regional branding in CR

23. Unified rules with continuous improvement • Keeping and promotion of uniqueness (we are not selling goods but (hi)stories) • Networking within regions • Multi-source funding • Support to retail Common plans

24. Asociace regionálních značek, o.s. office: Senovážná 2, 110 00 Praha 1 Kateřina Čadilová mobile: +420 724 863 604cadilova@arz.cz www.regionalni-znacky.cz www.regional-products.eu Thank you for your attention!