PALO ALTO, CA + AUCKLAND, New Zealand (Oct. 16, 2011) – GeoBranding is a hot topic as countries and cities invest billions to host mega-sports, arts and cultural events. Just how does this impact the health of host economies and the appeal of destinations seeking greater brand allure, investment and free-spending visitors?

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council, which represents more than 6,000 global marketers controlling some $300 billion in annual spend, is keen to elevate the discussion in addressing this question. On October 19, it is co-hosting a half-day GeoBranding Caucus (www.geobrandingcenter.org) with NZ 2011 at the KPMG office in Auckland. Attending will be Australia and New Zealand brand marketers, Rugby World Cup sponsors, destination marketers, as well as representatives of the New Zealand Tourism and Economic Development departments.

The three-hour interactive session will be followed by a reception for visiting marketing executives, media and dignitaries at The Cloud on Queens Wharf, a striking new structure in the heart of the Rugby World Cup‘s primary New Zealand Business Showcase and Fanzone. The agenda will include:

• Making the business case for sports event hosting and sponsorship by countries, cities and brands.


• Rugby World Cup 2011 economic impact report prepared by MasterCard International.


• Using country of origin marketing and branding to drive demand for commodities, products and services – the New Zealand experience.


• Maximizing marketing efficiency and advertising effectiveness – adopting new platforms, tools and technologies for driving revenue, response and return.

“New Zealand’s country of origin, nation branding, economic development and destination marketing programs have been immensely successful,” noted Donovan Neale-May, executive director of the CMO Council, who earlier in his career worked at an agency which handled campaigns for New Zealand Lamb, Florida Citrus, Idaho Potatoes, Cape Granny Smith Apples (from South Africa), and other branded commodities. “We’re looking forward to discussing some of the strategies they’ve employed to promote New Zealand meat, dairy, wine, apparel, and other consumer products and travel experiences.”

With the Rugby World Cup the third most popular global sporting event, New Zealanders are expecting an influx of visitors in September and October as some 20 nations vie for rugby honors and accolades. The New Zealand national team -- known as the All Blacks -- are favored to win and New Zealand government officials expect their economy to be a big winner, too.

MasterCard Worldwide, a major sponsor of the Rugby World Cup, is conducting analytics on transactions associated with the sports event, and will be presenting its “econometrics” findings at the GeoBranding Caucus. It will also give marketers insights into how it determines which sports to sponsor based on player and fan profiles, global appeal and socio-economic behavior.

About the CMO Council

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council is dedicated to high-level knowledge exchange, thought leadership and personal relationship building among senior corporate marketing leaders and brand decision-makers across a wide-range of global industries. The CMO Council's 6,000 members control more than $300 billion in aggregated annual marketing expenditures and run complex, distributed marketing and sales operations worldwide. In total, the CMO Council and its strategic interest communities include over 20,000 global executives in nearly 100 countries covering multiple industries, segments and markets. Regional chapters and advisory boards are active in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The Council's strategic interest groups include the Coalition to Leverage and Optimize Sales Effectiveness (CLOSE), LoyaltyLeaders.org, Marketing Supply Chain Institute, Customer Experience Board, Market Sense-Ability Center, Digital Marketing Performance Institute, GeoBranding Center, and the Forum to Advance the Mobile Experience (FAME). More information on the CMO Council is available at www.cmocouncil.org.

About the GeoBranding Center

The CMO Council’s GeoBranding Center reaches and engages an extensive global network of marketing leaders responsible for nation branding and the promotion of destinations, countries, attractions and venues worldwide. The special interest group also includes leading providers of travel, transportation, lodging, hospitality, entertainment, and sports experiences. Its thought leadership role and web site (www.geobrandingcenter.org) include best practice contributions, travel analytics and insights, campaign success stories, and enabling solutions or services for travel industry marketers. In addition to regional caucuses, the GeoBranding Center implements custom thought leadership campaigns, provides quarterly analytics and insights, and produces webinars, dinner dialogues, and on-demand webcasts.