Our Brand Story

In the far reaches of northern Europe there is a place where the forces of nature have been working for 20,000 years to shape a dramatic landscape with the world’s highest coastline. This is a place where the steep mountains that dive straight down into the sea will leave you totally breathless.

The High Coast of Sweden has endured more than one Ice Age and what was a beach 10,000 years ago is now 286 metres above sea level. And just as the land is doing, the people in the region are also reaching for the sky. Those who live and work here are simple and friendly folk with big ambitions. They want the High Coast, the region they are so proud of, to be one of Europe’s foremost visitor destinations.

The High Coast of Sweden gives visitors from all over the world the possibility to experience a genuine, unexploited and authentic Sweden. This is where the forests, water and mountains make a magnificent backdrop to physical challenges, the discovery of new cuisines, and cultural events – the High Coast has plenty to offer whatever the season.

Brave visitors can try fermented Baltic herring or rock climbing, but the High Coast actually focuses more on harmony than on adrenaline. More on spending time with others around the campfire than on solo ascents of some of the world’s highest mountains. More on crispy waffles with cloudberry jam than on energy bars and liniment. Through the endless number of nature activities that you can take part in together with the people you like spending time with, you can gather the strength you need to enjoy your fast-paced, urban daily lives.

Welcome to the magnificent High Coast of Sweden.

A joint brand platform

The High Coast’s Brand Platform

A brand platform works like a compass for anyone who wants to tell others about the High Coast. It is a tool that helps us all share a similar message about our part of the world and helps us all strive in the same direction. If many of us describe the High Coast in a similar way, our joint message will be stronger.

Our brand platform describes the High Coast’s character, but also which target groups we prioritise and in this way it acts as a guiding light for development work in our destination.

Our identity is shaped by all of us who are engaged in the High Coast brand. A common picture of which unique properties and selling points that are tied to the destination is useful when we communicate with the outside world.

  • Tourism companies can together, as well as individually, communicate a joint image in order to attract more visitors and strengthen the High Coast as a destination.
  • Our branding platform can work as inspiration for product development and strengthen what the destination has to offer. 
  • Companies from all industries can use a positive image of the High Coast to attract new workers.
  • Event holders can communicate an attractive picture of the High Coast to attract more events.
  • People who live here can tell their friends and families about life in the High Coast.
  • Non-profit associations can use our collective picture of the High Coast as a guiding light in their local development work.

 

When we all work together, we can communicate a cohesive and exciting image that will attract more people to come and experience the High Coast. We have a lot to be proud of and we want to reach a wide audience with our message!

Many stakeholders have contributed to our work in developing a genuine and credible brand platform.

At an event held for the tourism industry in the High Coast, about 100 people took part in a workshop where they were asked to describe the High Coast’s strengths and qualities. At a later date, about 30 people with various leadership roles in the tourism industry gathered to discuss and decide upon the High Coast's target audience and markets.

As a complement to our own picture of the destination, an internet survey was used in our target markets to get an overview of the visitor perspective of the High Coast. A total of 600 people were surveyed in Finland, the Netherlands and Germany in addition to 300 people in Sweden. (All were interested in being active outdoors). In order to get a feel for our target market’s thinking, we complemented the internet survey by ringing 10 people in our target market and asking them the same questions but here we had the opportunity to ask them follow-up questions and to explain their answers further, take quotations and get a feel for their attitudes in a more personal way.

Our findings from the workshops and internet survey have since been complemented with current knowledge on global trends and branch news as well as surveys carried out by Visit Sweden.

The data and information collected during this process has been sorted, structured and analysed. The results of this have created the foundation of our brand platform.

The work was carried out in 2016 and was later complemented with a communications strategy and new visual identity in 2017.

The process has been carried out together with Placebrander, Identx and Devocy Communications.

A visit to the High Coast can feel like an evening around the campfire. One of the tools that we can offer is our brand platform. Höga Kusten Destinationsutveckling together with Höga Kusten Turism have been selected to keep an eye on the process, but it is all the stakeholders in the destination that will together contribute towards delivering world-class “campfire” experiences.

Läs vidare om varumärket

Use the strong High Coast brand in your business. Here is material you can use and guidelines regarding how to use it.

Graphic profile

Guidelines for the High Coast’s graphic profile

Joint profiling

Make use of the High Coast brand in your marketing

Texts

Please feel free to use these texts when you write about the High Coast.

Presentations

Please feel free to use the following presentations of the High Coast.

Images

Use our images of the High Coast in your marketing.

Facts

Here is a collection of interesting facts about the High Coast.

Films

Please help us share images of the High Coast through these films.