Guest lecture: Analysing Eurovision as a destination marketing campaign

Our students have been looking at the Eurovision Song Contest as a case study to evaluate how events and festivals are used for destination marketing purposes.

Guest lecturer – Dr Catherine Baker from the University of Hull, spoke to our students about the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool earlier this year. Catherine leads on the evaluation project: Eurovision Song Contest, Soft Power and Cultural Relations for the British Council.

School of Business and Law lecturer Dr Barbara Grabher is a collaborator on the project and invited Catherine to speak to final-year students on our Destination Marketing module. This module explores what destinations are, how marketing can support and strengthen these destination campaigns, and analyse destination marketing campaigns.

Catherine gave a historical overview of Eurovision and its origin, as well as recent developments that have highlighted the contest’s influence in geopolitical negotiations, performing of national identity, and establishing Eurovision as an annual destination marketing campaign.

She spoke specifically about LGBTQ+ representation, and how LGBTQ+ branding has become crucial to Eurovision marketing.

Catherine also talked our students through the Liverpool 2023 bid video and other materials, discussing the branding strategy and intentions behind campaign choices. She encouraged our students to come up with their own branding strategy and slogan for potential future host cities.

Thank you to Catherine for coming to speak to our students about such an interesting destination marketing campaign.