UBC Strategy 2010-2015

Towards more effective UBC

This year, UBC embarked on a mission to create a new communication and marketing strategy, scheduled to be ready for implementation in the beginning of 2012.The overall goal is to raise the public profile and visibility of UBC in the Baltic Sea Region.

Indeed, UBC is in communication intensive business. Its mission, as outlined in the UBC 2010-2015 strategy is to support its member cities in their development to achieve a high quality of life for their inhabitants, promote the Baltic Sea Region as a dynamic, competitive and prosperous region and to further the interests of the Baltic Sea Region and its cities in national and European decision-making.

Based on its mission, the UBC wants to be:

• a platform and meeting place for exchange of ideas
• a source for inspiration, increased awareness, dialogue, net working,
• a strong voice on regional and European affairs, and
• a respected and recognised partner in the Baltic Sea Region

The UBC communication needs to be effective, efficient and well-organised in order to achieve all this. The strategy, however, concludes that the UBC communication and marketing is not entirely up to par and speed, claiming that despite its successful activities since 1991, UBC is still relatively little known both among cities, decision makers and among the general public.

This calls for more action to raise the profile and visibility of the organisation and its achievements. UBC needs a clearer and stronger brand, including a marketing slogan.

Against this background, the objective of the strategy process and the ensuing report is to define and describe the future marketing and communication strategy of the Union of the Baltic Cities and associated actions in an action plan (goals, target groups, main stakeholders, messages to be communicated and channels to be used). It will also take into account possibilities offered by the Internet and the new electronic media, co-operation with member cities and other partners, possible high-profile events and initiatives, joint initiatives with other organisations, etc.

The strategy work includes steps to determine how UBC is seen today, internally and externally, and to create inclusiveness in and support for the strategy process by asking as many people as possible for their opinion. Concretely, surveys, telephone interviews and workshops have been used to achieve this. Fundamental questions that help to get a picture of the UBC today has been asked, such as 'who are we and what do we stand for and what are our core values and our role'?

The strategy was decided on atthe Executive Board in Lathi in February, giving the city of Kiel and the city of Kristiansand the taskto make sure that the project is implemented. Swedish branding and strategy consultancy Tendensor has been hired to assist in this work.