They are large, colourful and sometimes even adjustable. Giant structures bearing the names of towns are springing up everywhere to attract tourists. The latest: Troyes, which on 22 September installed an XXL 3D structure in front of the Town Hall.
The town of Troyes has just installed these giant letters manufactured by Aupied2lalettre.com, in front of the Town Hall. • © Olivier Douard
Six white letters standing proudly on a blue base. The town of Troyes had been dreaming of this for a long time. Since Tuesday 22 September, that wish has been granted. The town now has a giant structure bearing its name standing in front of the town hall.
“We have been thinking about it for a long time, but the Covid crisis accelerated things,” explains Nicolas Villiers, director of Troyes la Champagne Tourisme. “After the lockdown period, we had great difficulty restarting the tourist season. People wanted nature and everything with an urban connotation was harder to sell. So we wanted to offer new, offbeat products like these giant letters.”
Other towns in the region such as Reims and Sedan also acquired giant letters the previous year. Each time, the objective is the same: the name must be clearly identifiable, aesthetic and placed in a strategic location. Behind these trending structures lies an original communication campaign.
“We obviously have the ‘instagrammability’ of the sculpture in mind. We want to attract a younger clientele and for that, it is important to show that we can exist on social media.”
Nicolas Villiers, director of Troyes la Champagne Tourisme
And it works. Installed in June 2019, the XXL letters of the city of Reims have been the subject of numerous posts and shares on social media. Tourists, bloggers, locals — everyone posts their photo and comment online. Effective digital advertising.
Territorial Marketing
“You have to understand the power of the image behind these letters,” explains Alexandre Bariteaud, marketing and commercial director of the Grand Reims tourist office. “We often welcome bloggers and influencers, and these letters have become a must on social media.”
Of course, these sculptures represent an investment for towns. “Without going into detail, let’s say it cost us the equivalent of 50% of the price of a full-page advertisement in a major national daily newspaper,” concedes Nicolas Villiers of Troyes la Champagne Tourisme. But according to industry players, the return on investment is considerable.
Above all, these structures are part of a broader marketing strategy. Tourist towns compete with each other and must stand out to attract new visitors. “We developed a brand two years ago: ‘Reims, city of coronations and champagne,'” explains Alexandre Bariteaud of the Reims tourist office. “These XXL letters are the cornerstone of this territorial marketing strategy.”
A concept confirmed by a communication school specialising in what is known — via an anglicism — as “city branding”. “Identity creation is carried out through a logo or slogan specific to a town and its surrounding territory. Through these actions, the town strengthens its reputation and identity, which has a positive impact on several levels, with tourist, financial, social and political outcomes, investment, job creation, and the promotion of local produce, Made in France, and local and sustainable development.” Cities like Lyon and Amsterdam have been pioneers in this area in creating what colleagues at Rue 89 call a “territorial buzz”.
In the Ardennes, #Sedan has become part of the landscape. Installed in spring 2019 in the town centre, on the Place d’Armes, these large letters — 1.80 metres high and 8 metres long — are mobile. They can be moved around the town depending on events. Manufactured locally, these six noble letters are now well established.