In destination marketing, the standard response to a visibility problem is usually an expensive ad campaign. But what happens when the challenge isn’t a lack of awareness, but a lack of wayfinding? When London’s Chinatown needed to put itself more firmly on the map, the solution didn’t come from a billboard—it came from thousands of red lanterns.
In this feature, Alan Thornton explores the power of reframing a brief. By shifting the focus from traditional advertising to bold, physical placemaking, a simple cultural cue was transformed into a glowing urban icon. Learn how thinking bigger—and more authentically—can turn a “hidden” location into an unmistakable, world-class destination.
Key take aways:
- Question the Brief: The client may not actually need what they think they’re asking for. Look past the requested solution to find the actual problem.
- Find the Authentic Hook: Use cultural cues that make placemaking feel natural and intrinsic to the area rather than an imposed corporate layer.
- Scale the Impact: Once you identify the right solution, ask how it can be taken further. Moving from a single sign to a district-wide installation transformed a “fix” into an “icon.”
