This lesson applies the marketing concepts, digital tools and ethical considerations from previous lessons to real case studies. Students develop their own marketing plans for ICH elements from their home regions.
Case Study Framework
For each case study, analyse:
- The ICH element: which UNESCO domain? What is the USP?
- The community: who are the bearers? What are their needs?
- The current situation: how is it currently promoted? What is missing?
- Ethical considerations: are current practices community-led? Is there consent?
- The marketing plan: target audience, promotion channels, budget estimate, success indicators.
Case Inspiration — Greek Case Studies
The Eastern Macedonia-Thrace region offers rich examples of ICH marketing: local festivals, traditional music, crafts and food traditions are promoted through coordinated campaigns combining social media, local media and tourism platforms. Community involvement is central to every campaign.
Case 1 — Andros: The Art of Drystone
What is drystone (Xerolithia)?
A structure made of stones or slabs joined together without any binding material — no mud, no cement. Stability comes from the technique itself: careful placement and wedging of smaller pieces. On Andros, drystone structures include the distinctive “hemasias” (terraces), small threshing floors, beehives, paths, bridges, and retaining walls that define the island’s terraced landscape.
Why it matters:
- Agricultural: terraces enabled cultivation on steep terrain; walls demarcated land, created paths, facilitated storage and animal keeping.
- Environmental: drystone constructions contribute to ecological balance, particularly in areas threatened by soil erosion, desertification, and climate change. They also support biodiversity.
- Social: the collective practice of building drystone walls fostered community cohesion among those who participated.
The threat: Thousands of metres of drystone retaining walls across Andros — abandoned for years — are collapsing and disappearing. Without active transmission of the technique, the knowledge dies with the last masters.
The response:
- 2015: Art of Drystone inscribed on the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Greece).
- 2018: Inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List — initially at the initiative of Greece and Cyprus, joined by France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia.
- Recent expansion: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, and Luxembourg have expressed interest in joining the multinational inscription.
- Educational workshops: experienced artisan-trainers from Andros, Epirus, and France now teach the technique to new generations — bringing together stone masters with young craftspeople across the Aegean.
European dimension: The drystone inscription is a model of cross-border ICH cooperation. When twelve EU Member States collaborate on a single UNESCO file, subsidiarity and added value become concrete, visible, and measurable.
▶ Video: Interview with Mr. Chelmis, owner of the Cyclades Olive Museum, Andros
Sustainable tourism dimension:
Andros is also known for its hiking routes — including the Andros Trail Running route — which pass through the drystone landscape and connect picturesque traditional villages. Local cooperatives with dairy products and olive oil preserve production traditions, professions, and collective memory. The Cyclades Olive Museum depicts how an old oil mill functioned, preserving memories for older generations and raising awareness among new ones.
ase 2 — Larissa: Ethnographic Memory and Agricultural Heritage
The Larissa cases illustrate how institutional actors (museums, associations) and individual practitioners (award-winning producers) work together to keep ICH alive in a regional context.
▶ Video: Interview with Ms. Kalokairinou, Manager of the Ethnographic and Historic Museum, Larissa
▶ Video: Interview with Mrs. Zisouli, awarded as the best manager in Europe for the promotion of traditional products, Larissa
▶ Video: Interview with Mr. Gousios, President of Enipeas Association
Student Task: Develop Your Own Case Study
Choose an ICH element from your homeland. Evaluate community engagement. Assess which digital tools are used. Develop a realistic, ethical marketing plan.
Learning Activities
• Case study development: Apply all four marketing concepts (4Ps + ethics + digital tools) to an ICH element from your region.
• Peer review: Exchange case studies with a classmate and critique each other’s plans.
• Presentation: Present your marketing plan to the group, defending your choices.
Reflection Questions
- What is the most challenging part of marketing ICH ethically?
- Which digital tool would be most effective for your chosen ICH element?
- How do you measure the success of an ICH marketing campaign?