By Eric Wamanji
Rural folks and school kids who visit Nairobi will almost always take home a similar memento – a shot of themselves with the background of the towering Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). And all the snappers perching on City Hall Way are adept at capturing a subject with an illusion of touching the crest of KICC or appearing to be seated at the top.
KICC is the quick landmark of city and country. Sadly, save for the bowing tusk of Mombasa, most of our towns lack icons to identify them. They lack a face. I have been frustrated enough times when producing documentaries from these towns to get a distinct icon or signage.
The closest you can come to a town’s identity is a comical – rusty and battered signpost with crooked wordings of welcome. And these signs depict an image of a lackluster if not unimaginative town.
To the everyday folk, lack of a town’s icon, is a non-issue. Yet, these towns are missing terrific opportunities to market themselves locally and internationally.
And that is why it is time that our urban planners and communication wonks in the counties need to create lasting and captivating icons that will identify their towns and thereby market them.
How does an icon market a town? Photographers and filmmakers like backgrounds that communicate. They like to establish location from a landmark associated with the place. When a town has such an image, you can imagine the kind of shots that can be snapped and shared locally and international. Then, there would be the amateur photographers capturing a selfie here and there and splashing the same online. In a flash, the image of your town will be on the global online map.
Icons do construct pride and belonging. They store history and culture and intimate a future. Great icons inspire hope. They attract investors and tourists. They subconsciously provide confidence to locals. You see, great icons can easily weave a touch of magic that will create a buzz that inspires fortunes for the town.
And the world has them. The Paris Eiffel Tower at the Champ de Mars dates back to 1889. Today it’s a touristic site, an icon of culture and pride. The tower shot to the limelight recently with the dimming of its lights to mourn in Paris. You cannot miss the Eiffel Tower in movies or stories about Paris. And, if you go to New York, surely the Statute of Liberty – an icon depicting liberties of man – stands out in a more captivating way, what with the torch lighting the world of freedoms?
Even London is spoilt for choice from the Big Ben, to the St. Paul’s Cathedral. How about that enchanting Sydney’s Opera House?
Most of these icons emerged accidentally. Some like the Eiffel Tower was to go down in 20 years. It is still strong over 100 years on.
And this tells us that we may not wait for an accidental icon. May be time is up for us to consciously and actively develop icons that will brand and sell our towns. The Las Vegas Strip is such an example. It was deliberately designed, and today, the diamond shaped sign with the words Welcome to Las Vegas, Nevada, keep on captivating locals and visitors alike.
Folks, brands are assets. And smart towns that seek to rise may better think of branding their towns. Lets start with a central image that collectively capture our aspirations or represent the local spiritual inclination, wealth or culture. Icons communicate values.
For instance, Kitale with its fame as a bread basket would do well say with a gigantic cob of maize at the town square, Eldoret would have the an icon of an athlete, Thika probably would do with a massive pineapple, Kericho a tea twig and Kisumu a titanic tilapia or Nile perch.
Yet this is not a one man’s feat, Mr Governor. It’s a collective effort of diverse stakeholders. Its not an invention but a discovery of what sets the town apart. I also need to point out that the icon will go hollow if the true human spirit does not resonate with the ideals the icon espouses. In short, craft your icon, your brand and walk the talk.
Slogans too can work magic. They share the intrinsic element of the town while seducing admirers. How about Mombasa Raha, and you attract all folks with a penchant for the finer things, Kenya’s breadbasket, and Green City in the Sun, The Capital of Soapstone, The Cradle of Mankind… The options are umpteen.
Once that’s done, it will inspire a whole industry especially for souvenirs, poetry, and film. For filmmakers like yours truly, well, it saves the hustle of getting the right location identifier.
Wamanji is a media and communication advisor wamanji@rococo.co.ke @manjis