destination/community brand blueprint€¦ · the destination/community brand development strategy...

Destination/Community Brand Blueprint

Downtown Casper, Wyoming

Casper, Wyoming Area

Report Outline

Page

Introduction and Strategic Brand Approach ______________________ 1 Brand Research and Assessment ______________________________ 5

Objectives _________________________________________________________ 5 Brand Research Methodology _________________________________________ 6 Brand Research Outcomes ___________________________________________ 7

Brand Promise and Commitment ______________________________ 12

Objective _________________________________________________________ 12 Key Brand Attributes and Promise Statement ___________________________ 13

Brand Culturalization and Development Action Plan ______________ 14

Objective _________________________________________________________ 14 Brand Recommended Initiatives and Actions ___________________________ 15

Brand Blueprint Documentation ______________________________ 19

Objective _________________________________________________________ 19 Brand Development Schedule ________________________________________ 19

Destination/Community Brand Blueprint 1


Introduction and Strategic Brand Approach Being a Brand is the only way to stand out in a crowded marketplace. It is nothing more (and nothing less) than creating a distinct personality—and then telling the world about it.

Tom Peters, Acclaimed Management Author

The idea of branding a destination like the City of Casper and surrounding area in the same context as a car or a box of cereal strikes some as odd or even impossible. After all, destinations are communities in which we live, raise our families and make our living. But places in the tourism and economic development context are also products that people buy, invest and/or consume. And these places and communities need to offer something distinctive, unique and special for a visitor, investor or others, to want to come there and spend/invest their hard earned money. Place, destination/tourism and/or community branding, as we call it, is important and even more vital for communities today to stand out and compete in a marketplace in which visitors and others have multitudes of choices in which to choose.

To that degree, Casper as the major business center in Wyoming is in an enviable position. While many destinations are places sometimes devoid of character and a sense of place, the Casper area offers a contrasting uniqueness between very different environments that complement and enhance each other. From abundant outdoor recreation opportunities offered by Casper Mountain, the North Platte River and its reservoirs to big city commercial and entertainment amenities, Casper offers an array of interests, attractions and events that are appealing and different. And that’s good news! In today’s marketplace that is increasingly becoming a “sea of sameness” within the visitor destination and community development industry, Casper has the opportunity to embrace this different but complementary grouping of Western urban and rural experiences that can give the city and area a strong competitive edge.

Being unique is a vitally important part of the destination/community brand identity process. But it is equally important to understand those distinct characteristics, embrace them and communicate and deliver on them in a unified fashion. While many residents in the Casper area know what makes them different, how many of these residents can communicate them and effectively deliver on them to our current and potential visitors and investors?

The purpose of this Destination/Community Brand Development initiative, supported by six Casper area proponents: City of Casper, Natrona County Commissioners, Casper Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Casper Downtown Development Authority, Casper Area Economic Development Authority and Casper Area Chamber of Commerce, is not to simply undertake a customer research program on positive attributes, but to solicit a uniform understanding of those attributes so that all of the partners can create consistent messaging that is in alignment with the favorable experience that visitors, investors and others come to the area looking to gain.

Often in the world of destination and tourism/economic development marketing, communities promote themselves as having “it all” to appeal to the widest group of people. In truth, by doing so they sell themselves short and end up by offering nothing but a bland product. Casper and



Natrona County are far from this model, but do we all know, uniformly, what makes us different?

The challenge that the Casper area faces are that visitors, investors and others who need to hear about its good story are bombarded by media messages and plagued by time poverty—there is just no time to hear all the information they need to hear. Specifically, Casper does not have a sufficiently high “buy” awareness or understanding of what the destination can offer to its visitors, investors and others with an interest in this community.

So what is a destination to do that does not have unlimited resources to compete in such a challenging marketplace? The answer is that it has to first think strategically by clearly understanding what makes it distinctive to the visitor and investor in terms of its product offerings and advantages. Why would someone want to choose Casper over other similar or nearby areas? What are the attributes that would drive their emotional desire and motivate to visit, invest and/or live?

In the end, it is all about experiences! These are destination experiences that are distinctive and unique and transcend the product features and create an emotional connection with the customer. It is well understood that people do not always remember what they did on a business trip or leisure vacation but they always remember how they felt afterwards. Relaxed, stressed or reinvigorated are all examples of emotional memories that people take from travel or fact-finding experiences regardless of their itinerary. Being truly unique and memorable is the only way to compete in this marketplace.

The concept of building a brand goes back more than a century to such products as Campbell’s Soup, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and Ford Motor Company. As places compete for more visitors and investors, they have increasingly embraced the idea of destination/community brand development. The previously mentioned Casper area brand proponents recognized the overriding mutual need to have a consistent and impactful community voice to encourage and achieve higher levels of visitation and business investment. It was agreed in August 2013 to undertake a targeted customer and community-based, strategic approach to destination brand development that included market research and local resident and industry stakeholder involvement.

In order to survive in today’s competitive marketplace, a tourism destination and community, like a business, must treat its brand identity as a strategic asset, one that is just as critical as the hospitality, recreational, agricultural, manufacturing, professional services and energy industry opportunities that make up the place product mix. For the Casper area to compete effectively in the future, it must seize control of its brand, own it, live it, protect it, and distinguish it in order to maintain and secure the area’s visitor and investor market share.

A successful destination/community brand clearly defines the place’s unique and distinctive attributes that have both emotional and functional benefits to its visitors and investors. It is not enough to simply have Casper’s world-class Casper Mountain/North Platte River outdoor recreation, unique historic sites/trails and attractions, wide-open spaces and beautiful scenery, and being the key business center of the state well documented. The destination has to convey a certain feeling to the visitor, investor and others that transcends the area’s locational and physical attributes.



Tourism destinations face tremendous challenges today. From online booking agents to highly competitive city/community marketing campaigns, the focus on price and value has never been greater. In fact, the Casper area wants to position itself as a quality western outdoor recreation and commercial center of choice due to the value the targeted customer receives from their individual leisure visitor and/or business visitor experiences.

It has been stated that this brand effort was not about taglines and logos, which is what many people usually associate with branding. This brand initiative was about defining a visitor in its brand context and a community-based strategy that would allow Casper and area to communicate its product, services and experiences more effectively by uniting around a commonly understood message. It is essential that the city and county and its promotional partners actively support and embrace this brand development effort in a cooperative fashion that will allow them individually to benefit from a coordinated and successful community program of work. The visitor and/or investor already sees this area as an accessible destination, so it is imperative that all Casper area promoters work together for mutual gain in this effort.

Once the area brand strategy has been understood and established, the next steps to brand communications may take place including reviewing the current advertising and promotional effort, possibly developing a new or revised logo or implementing primary destination theme line development and community story development as necessary.

This Brand Blueprint report is designed to not only explain what a destination/community brand is, but determine the key Casper area brand stories from their development to execution. Beginning in August 2013, the Casper Brand Board (six main partner representatives and four community-based members at large) began this eight month process when it undertook the initial steps in the destination brand assessment and then to the formulation of a destination/community brand promise statement. From there, it outlined a program of recommended actions of what it plans to do with its new brand platform by pursuing a brand culturalization and development plan.

The Destination/Community Brand Development strategy followed by the Casper Brand Board comprised four main components:

1. Brand Research and Assessment

2. Brand Promise and Commitment

3. Brand Culturalization and Development Action Plan

4. Brand Blueprint Documentation.

By following this plan, the community has employed a methodical approach to defining itself through a rigorous and quantitative and qualitative investigation process.

Why go through this exercise? Simply put, a quality destination/community brand is critical to the success of Casper and its surrounding area.



The benefits for the area are three-fold as follows:

1. Enhanced destination/community awareness and conversion with more overall business and leisure visitors leading to further overnight stays especially by travelers during off-peak periods and increased potential investor and resident leads and commitments

2. Positive destination and community image building leading to more valued traveler experiences

3. Increased destination/community competitive advantage with the proper setup of an enticing buying proposition leading to better persuadable selling messaging.

These accrued outcomes will provide increased economic spending and capital investment thereby delivering a higher quality of destination and community lifestyle for travelers, business owners and residents alike.

The Brand Development Blueprint is prepared to assist the city, county and immediate area and key industries in not only understanding the brand development process, but also its very significant role in bringing the brand to life and ensuring its success. By collectively understanding and delivering on the area’s brand promise, the Casper community will stand stronger, more unified and will face its competitive challenges in a more cohesive and strategic fashion. Additionally, this Blueprint will help serve as an important tool for the key Casper area partners in their overall marketing efforts by clearly identifying its strengths and unique selling points in an emotional way that connects with visitors, investors, local government and business leaders and residents.

It is important to note that this is a Casper area initiative that involved business and visitor industry proponents, county and city leaders and interested residents, and all others that depend on a vibrant and healthy economy for Casper and Natrona County. While the Casper Brand Board spearheaded this brand initiative, it is the city and area as a whole that ultimately delivers the distinctive, “only in Casper” experience.

In conclusion, a noted study on word-of-mouth marketing articulated well what Casper looks to garner from this brand development work. It indicated that word-of-mouth advocates often through social media serve as one of the best and most compelling marketing tactics available today. Essentially, “An advocate is an evangelist, not content to merely pass along or comment on the latest ‘thing,’ the advocate is driven by a heartfelt belief that you should try this product and is ready, willing and able to explain why.”

The story they tell is the Casper destination/community brand. But the ultimate measure of success will be for the Casper area and its promotional organizations and residents to tell it together in a unified holistic manner.



Brand Research and Assessment Objectives

The purpose of the Brand Assessment is to determine among key business and community stakeholders, visitors and residents, their feelings, perceptions and attitudes toward the Casper area as a destination to visit for leisure and business reasons.

Through the use of initial and follow-up group meetings and online surveys, pertinent information was obtained and is summarized for easy review.

The specific aims of this assessment are as follows:

Ü To get honest about the destination from visitor and resident standpoints.

Ü To learn how visitors, residents and civic and business community stakeholders feel about the Casper area attributes and get consensus on the outcomes.

Ü To ascertain how local community leaders, including elected and appointed officials and the tourism/hospitality and business owners/operators, view the Casper area experience.

Ü To identify and understand what is truly unique and distinctive about the Casper area.

What the Casper Brand Board did on behalf of the city, county and area from August 2013 to April 2014:

Ü Conducted several Brand Board and industry/community group meetings and personal interviews including business/tourism leaders, government officials and other institutional executives on perceptions of the Casper area brand with the intention of facilitating consensus over the full eight month period.

Ü Administered in-depth online surveys with analysis of current and potential visitors, residents and business/community stakeholder views from December 2013 to March 2014.

Ü Reviewed all existing destination and visitor marketing about the Casper area on current imagery and messaging in January 2014.

Ü Evaluated competitive city and top origin market tourism brand positioning and identity presence over January and February 2014.

Ü Compared stakeholder views with opinions of visitors and residents and identifying commonalities and conflicting views and ideas in February and March 2014.



Brand Research Methodology

The strength of the Casper Area Destination/Community Brand Development initiative is the quantitative research that formed the foundation of this important activity. This research comprised three online surveys across four groups (visitors, of which the majority traveled to Casper in 2013; potential visitors; residents and community industry stakeholders) utilizing current Casper Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and statewide Yellowstone Park inquiry databases, a Casper Area Chamber of Commerce stakeholder database along with the use of traditional and social media to reach city and county residents. The survey findings allowed an objective analysis to compare the perceptions of visitors, residents and stakeholders, and to determine what functional and emotional benefits the Casper area offers. In addition, one community/industry workshop and two Brand Board meetings were held consisting of over 100 different people.

The online surveys collected the following information and analyzed on the following attributes:

Ü Respondent demographics

Ü Trip and travel behavior characteristics when applicable

Ü Destination/community imagery, unique attractions and functional benefits

Ü Destination/community emotional benefits

Ü Major attraction/event awareness and satisfaction levels

Ü City area brand identity relevancy

Ü Main competitive visitor destinations

Ü Suggested destination/community experience improvements.

A total of 1,721 people completed the online surveys of which 163 were visitors, 119 potential visitors, 1,356 residents and 83 business and visitor industry stakeholders. Including the previous mentioned group meetings, some 1,800 people were directly involved in the Casper area brand research resulting in an overall sample that was statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. The samples for residents and community stakeholders were even more statistically significant resulting in lower margins of errors for those two subsamples.

The main highlights of the brand research follow.



Brand Research Outcomes

The following three tables highlight the key findings from the initial stakeholder workshop discussions held in November 2013.

Community and Visitor Industry Stakeholder Opinions on Casper Area Values Ü Nature-based

Ü Hard working/entrepreneurial

Ü Friendly

Ü Pioneering

Ü Proud

Ü Personable/caring

Ü Genuine

Ü Creative

Ü Safe/secure

Ü Freedom loving

Community and Visitor Industry Stakeholder Opinions on Casper Area

Visitors’ Perceived Functional Benefits (locational features and activity attributes)

Ü State commerce center

Ü Central Wyoming location

Ü Outdoor recreation/adventure travel activities

Ü Fishing and hunting

Ü Energy (oil/gas) industry

Ü Downtown Casper

Ü Historic sites, trails and attractions

Ü Regional retail shopping

Ü Education and media facilities

Ü Open spaces/clear skies

Community and Visitor Industry Stakeholder Opinions on Casper Area

Visitors’ Perceived Emotional Benefits (sensory and experiential feelings)

Ü Family-oriented

Ü Friendly

Ü Scenic/beautiful

Ü Relaxed

Ü Historic

Ü Adventuresome

Ü Young

Ü Outdoorsy

Ü Spirited



The following four tables highlight the key findings from the online survey responses received from visitors and potential visitors, residents and stakeholders from December 2013 to March 2014.

Most Frequently Mentioned Functional Image Attributes of the Casper Area (open-ended question; location and activity-based; % of respondents)

Attribute Visitors Potential Visitors Residents Stakeholders All

Casper Mountain 14.0 0.0 34.4 27.4 31.0

Fishing 12.1 1.5 13.6 12.3 12.8

Alcova Lake/Pathfinder Reservoir 5.6 0.0 13.6 8.2 12.1

North Platte River 11.2 1.5 12.3 12.3 11.8

Casper Events Center 3.7 0.0 13.0 11.0 11.6

Shopping 11.2 0.0 10.1 19.2 10.2

Outdoor recreation/activities 1.9 7.5 7.8 5.5 7.2

Western culture/heritage/history 7.5 17.9 5.9 9.6 6.7

Hunting 2.8 0.0 7.1 8.2 6.5

Mountains 10.3 16.4 5.3 6.8 6.3

Most Frequently Mentioned Emotional Image Attributes of the Casper Area (open-ended question; feelings-based; % of respondents)

Attribute Visitors Potential Visitors Residents Stakeholders All

Friendly 39.6 21.4 34.4 38.8 34.5

Windy 5.0 0.0 7.8 3.0 7.0

Relaxing 8.9 17.9 5.9 1.5 6.4

Boring 1.0 0.0 7.0 0.0 5.9

Outdoorsy 3.0 7.1 5.1 1.5 4.8

Beautiful 5.0 7.1 4.1 9.0 4.6

Western 4.0 12.5 3.8 4.5 4.2

Welcoming 0.0 0.0 4.6 6.0 4.1

Happy 3.0 3.6 4.1 3.0 3.9

Rude 1.0 0.0 4.0 9.0 3.8

Small town feel 0.0 0.0 4.2 4.5 3.8



Most Descriptive Statements of Casper Area as a Travel Destination (mean rating based on a 5-point scale)

Statement Visitors Potential Visitors Residents Stakeholders All

The area has wide open spaces 4.15 3.88 4.19 4.43 4.19

The area contains beautiful nature and scenery 4.20 4.12 4.09 3.99 4.09

The area offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation 4.07 3.87 3.96 4.35 3.98 The area is rich in history and culture 4.06 3.88 3.76 4.06 3.80

Casper is easily accessible 3.81 3.60 3.66 3.72 3.67

Casper is a safe area 3.70 3.66 3.64 3.78 3.66 Casper is protective of its natural landscape and wildlife 3.81 3.90 3.57 3.60 3.60

People residing in Casper are warm and friendly 3.97 3.75 3.53 3.64 3.58

The overall mood of the area is peaceful and relaxed 3.92 3.83 3.50 3.67 3.55 The area offers a good variety of accommodation choices 3.62 3.65 3.47 3.61 3.49

The area offers a variety of dining experiences 3.65 3.56 3.43 3.44 3.46

The destination is affordable 3.71 3.43 3.42 3.75 3.46 The area offers affordable accommodation choices 3.66 3.56 3.32 3.54 3.37

The area offers year-round activities 3.60 3.58 3.29 3.68 3.35

Casper is clean 3.49 3.73 3.30 3.35 3.33 Casper is a unique destination 3.65 3.67 3.26 3.35 3.31

Casper offers a variety of shopping options 3.46 3.37 3.26 3.64 3.29

The destination offers good value 3.54 3.63 3.23 3.66 3.29 Casper provides good service quality to its visitors 3.65 3.48 3.20 3.39 3.26

Well-developed general infrastructure is in place 3.37 3.23 3.11 3.29 3.14

The area offers a variety of things to do for families 3.59 3.55 3.02 3.65 3.12 Casper has a good reputation as a visitor destination 3.44 3.53 3.03 3.11 3.09

Interesting cultural activities are available 3.49 3.38 2.93 3.33 3.01

The area offers a variety of nightlife and entertainment 3.09 3.41 2.56 2.56 2.63 Casper has good weather 3.03 3.36 2.52 2.53 2.60



Key Unique/Distinctive Attractions of Casper (percentage of responses)

Attraction Visitors Potential Visitors Residents Stakeholders All

Casper Mountain 19.0 2.7 22.1 18.8 21.2

Casper Events Center 6.0 0.0 17.1 15.9 15.8

College National Finals Rodeo 3.0 0.0 16.3 26.1 15.4 Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo 7.0 0.0 11.5 10.1 10.9

National Historic Trails Center 12.0 0.0 10.2 18.8 10.5

Fort Caspar 6.0 8.1 9.3 7.2 8.9 Hunting/Fishing 12.0 5.4 8.6 10.1 8.8

Rodeos (not specified) 13.0 29.7 7.8 2.9 8.5

Beartrap Summer Festival 2.0 0.0 8.3 11.6 7.8 Alcova Lake/Pathfinder Reservoir 3.0 0.0 7.3 7.2 6.8



Six primary brand research conclusions were drawn for the Casper area from the perspective of visitors, potential visitors, residents and stakeholders.

1. The most popular activities participated in by visitors are dining, shopping, sightseeing, undertaking a family/recreation vacation, visiting historical/heritage sites, parks and trails, doing nature hiking/walking and visiting friends and relatives. These activities show excellent opportunity for combined experiences, particularly the latter since residents also indicated a high annual frequency of repeat visits from family and friends.

2. The key destination/community functional imagery benefits (open-ended question with all responses combined) are Casper Mountain, fishing, Alcova Lake/Pathfinder Reservoir, North Platte River, Casper Events Center and shopping, especially by residents and industry stakeholders. From the written descriptive statements, the primary area images are wide-open spaces, beautiful nature and scenery, and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. It should be noted that potential visitors associated the area with western cultural heritage, mountains and wildlife.

3. The key destination/community emotional imagery benefits (open-ended question with all responses combined) are friendliness and relaxation, and also being recognized as a beautiful place. From the written descriptive statements, easy accessibility, safety, and warm and friendly people were mentioned. It should be noted, however, that a portion of residents perceived the area to be boring, while along with industry stakeholders felt a sense of rudeness in hospitality.

4. The top unique attractions (open-ended question with all responses combined) are Casper Mountain, Casper Events Center, various rodeos and the National Historic Trails Center, and more specifically by visitors the latter two and hunting and fishing.

5. The awareness and satisfaction levels of the main attractions and events in the area were high for both residents and industry stakeholders along with strong awareness ratings for downtown Casper, Casper Mountain recreation areas, retail shopping locations and historic/heritage attractions, especially the latter by potential visitors.

6. Overall there is an acute need to focus Casper’s destination/community stories and related messaging on unique personal experiences predicated on outdoor recreation/adventure travel, sports events and cultural heritage tourism and on complementary business experiences reinforcing the city’s role as the commercial and financial center of the state. Competitive tourism and economic development marketing resources will be required to properly inform and influence out-of-state visitors, investors and residents.



Brand Promise and Commitment Objective

The purpose of the Brand Promise and its Commitment is to capture the distinctive essence of the Casper area and use this Promise/Commitment as the guiding star and focal point for all community decision-making on tourism, outdoor recreation, cultural heritage and economic/residential development marketing. These words would then become the strategic platform for all visitor, historic/cultural heritage, outdoor recreation and business development marketing and form the basis of a strong destination/community brand identity.

What the Casper Brand Board did on behalf of Casper and area:

Ü Reviewed the assessment findings from the online surveys and stakeholder group discussions to identify words and themes (both functional and emotional) that frequently appeared to appropriately describe the Casper area

Ü Prioritized those key attributes that incorporate the full scope of the varied components of the Casper area experience from people to places

Ü Determined a strategic brand promise focus based on a destination/community positioning

Ü Developed an area-based Brand Promise/Commitment statement that will be the focal point and guiding star for all brand and marketing initiatives for Casper tourism and economic development efforts

Ü Communicated and gained consensus on the final Brand Promise/Commitment statement.



Key Brand Attributes and Promise Statement

Brand Characteristics of the Casper, Wyoming Area (functional and emotional benefits)

Ü Casper Mountain

Ü Wide-open spaces

Ü Windy environment

Ü North Platte River

Ü Lakes and reservoirs

Ü Abundant outdoor recreational activities (fishing and hunting)

Ü Historic sites, trails and rodeos

Ü Casper Events Center

Ü Shopping

Ü Easily accessible

Ü State commerce and financial center

Ü Friendly and warm people

Ü Beautiful scenery

Ü Safe location

Ü Relaxing and peaceful mood

Ü Hardworking and entrepreneurial attitude

Ü Outdoorsy and adventuresome spirit

Ü Pioneering legacy

Ü Genuinely proud

Ü Family-based

Ü Independent and self-reliant ethic

Ü Freedom loving

Given the above key destination/community attributes which are city and area-based, and the positioning analysis performed, a concise strategic community/destination brand promise focus was prepared for the Casper area as follows.

Nestled in the North Platte River Valley, at the base of iconic Casper Mountain in central Wyoming, the Casper area is blessed with world-class outdoor recreational pursuits, a touch of urban adventure and a friendly New West attitude. Established at the convergence of five historic pioneering trails, Casper remains Wyoming’s hub of commerce, culture and creativity that beckons the young-at-heart and beginning families to immerse in an independent lifestyle with brilliant blue skies and wide-open spaces.

Nestled in the North Platte River Valley, at the base of iconic Casper Mountain in Central Wyoming, Casper is blessed with world-class outdoor recreational opportunities, a touch of urban lifestyle and a friendly attitude. Established at the confluence of five historic pioneer trails, the city remains Wyoming’s hub of commerce, culture, creativity and competition that beckons the adventurous to immerse themselves in its brilliant blue skies and wide open spaces.



Brand Culturalization and Development Action Plan Objective

The purpose of a Brand Culturalization or Brand Development program is to prepare a tangible outline of recommended actions that will take the Brand Promise and Commitment and bring them to “life.” Based on previous visitor industry and community stakeholder discussions in 2012 and 2013, five primary marketing and development challenges were identified for the Casper area as follows:

1. Low destination/community awareness

2. Predominant energy and outdoor recreation imagery recognition

3. High over shadowing profile of state-based Yellowstone and Grand Teton Parks

4. Lack of community gateway appeal and effective wayfinding signage

5. Not taking full advantage of its central Wyoming location.

It must also be acknowledged that to be a successful place/destination a strong community experience and brand identity needs to be aligned to focused marketing communications.

Given these immediate challenges, the proceeding initiatives have been formulated to assist the city and area by delivering on the previously identified Brand Promise/Commitment to visitors, residents and stakeholders alike through improvements to the overall community experience.



Brand Recommended Initiatives and Actions

What the Casper Brand Board, including its six community-based partners and local residents need to do:

Ü Initiate the following eight Brand Culturalization recommended programs to deliver fully on the Casper Area Brand Promise.

Timing Brand Initiatives Responsibility 2014 2015 2016 1. Destination/Community Brand Development Authorization and

Partner Communications

Attain approval from the Casper Brand Board on the adoption of the destination/community brand promise for future economic and tourism development and marketing program investment.

Status: Ü Destination agency of record and/or brand advisory firm to present the

Casper destination/community brand blueprint documentation to the Casper Brand Board and/or city and county governmental entities (City of Casper and Natrona County Commissioners) for approval, subsequent implementation and brand promise as guiding star of future marketing plans.

Adbay and/or Believable Brands

City and County Governments

ü

Ü Destination agency of record and/or brand advisory firm to present and communicate the results of its destination/community brand initiative to community marketing partners (Casper Area CVB, Casper DDA, Casper Area EDA and Casper Area Chamber) with the intention to support the development, where required, of allied brand/rebranded promises and uniform messaging.

Adbay and/or Believable Brands Four Community

Promotional Agencies

ü

2. Destination/Community Identity and Related Campaign New Creative Development

Given the brand research results and ensuing area brand promise, prepare a new/revised Casper identity platform for the destination/community and associated advertising and promotional campaign.

Status: Ü Destination agency of record to formulate a destination/community

brand architecture model including brand promise/identity guidelines and officially announce a new overarching creative design for the city and area.

Adbay ü

Ü Destination agency of record to develop an aligned tourism marketing campaign for the Casper Area CVB

Adbay CACVB

ü ü



Timing Brand Initiatives Responsibility 2014 2015 2016 Ü Destination agency of record, in conjunction with community and visitor

industry partners, to determine on an ongoing basis primary marketing messages and stories related to the city and its key attractions and events.

Adbay City/County Promotional

Agencies

ü ü ü

Ü Casper Area CVB to continue the consistent use of its online/offline marketing “call to action” as Visit Casper.

CACVB ü ü ü

3. Branded Destination/Community Marketing and Sales Strategy and Plan Development

Concentrate ongoing efforts in the preparation of well-focused target marketed leisure and group travel strategies and an accountable detailed marketing plan.

Status: Ü CACVB to prepare a strategic destination plan with main challenges,

vision and long-term priority initiatives identified. CACVB

Contractor

ü ü

Ü CACVB to initiate relevant market research in conjunction with its key attraction/event partners to identify current visitor behaviors, participation and best segment potentials.

CACVB

Contractor

ü

Ü CACVB to form co-branding marketing and sales partnerships with key area promotional agencies.

CACVB

City/County Promotional Agencies

ü ü ü

Ü CACVB to continue to develop integrated online visitor programming, packaging and suggested itineraries with vested industry and community partners given top city area branded stories and related messaging.

CACVB Visitor Industry and

Community Partners

ü ü

Ü CACVB to initiate a visiting friends and relative (VFR) program in order to raise resident awareness and use of area attractions, event participation and bring “back home” meetings.

CACVB ü



Timing Brand Initiatives Responsibility 2014 2015 2016 4. Destination/Tourism Website and Related Database

Redevelopment

Ongoing redesign and optimization of the CACVB destination website and revamped visitor database system given new area brand promise and related promotional campaign with “call to action” contacts.

Status: Ü CACVB to rebrand its destination website (visuals and copy with

emphasis on an “only in Casper area” experiences collection) given the topline brand research results, and enhance in parallel an effective and efficient visitor relationship management system.

CACVB

Adbay

ü ü

5. Branded Service Excellence Training Program Development and Delivery

Develop and implement a destination/community specific branded service excellence program with a recognized educational institution.

Status: Ü CACVB to interpret the area brand promise with related special interest

tourism storytelling contents, aligned to an existing and well-received customer service training module at the community and industry levels along with a tourism ambassador program setup and recognition.

CACVB Educational Institution

Visitor Industry and Community Partners

ü ü

6. Integrated Gateway and Wayfinding Navigation System Advocate and co-develop a consistent brand-related signage and gateway welcoming and beautification program citywide, especially along I–25 and Hwy 20/26 and at the Casper/Natrona County International Airport.

Status: Ü Casper Brand Board to liaise closely with state, county and city

governments on an agreed-to community gateway beautification and welcoming and directional signage program using consistent brand-related graphic identifiers.

Brand Board Partners Wyoming Department

of Transportation County/City

Governments

ü ü ü



Timing Brand Initiatives Responsibility 2014 2015 2016 7. Community/Visitor Experience Redevelopment Support Encourage and assist in new, expanded and/or upgraded visitor development projects and community/district planning.

Status: Ü Casper Brand Board to assist in the support of a well-located city

conference center based on a research-based feasibility study and implementation/financial plan, and formation

Ü of an effective visitors center network.

Brand Board Partners

City of Casper

Center Developer

ü ü

Ü CACVB to be technically supportive in downtown Casper revitalization and marketing efforts.

CACVB CDDA

ü ü

8. Enhanced Tourism Advocacy Lead community relations efforts to all targeted audiences on the benefits of tourism and role of the CACVB in partnership communications.

Status: Ü CACVB to prepare a formalized community relations strategy and plan to

enhance overall tourism awareness including current visitor impact data. CACVB ü ü ü

Ü CACVB to initiate an ongoing community public relations program to engage citizenry as tourism ambassadors and in conjunction with visiting friends and relatives (VFR) and group/meeting lead informants.

CACVB ü ü ü



Brand Blueprint Documentation Objective

The enclosed Brand Blueprint is designed to summarize the findings and conclusions of this Destination/Community Brand Development initiative and clearly explain not only what a destination/community brand is, but also how it needs to be actualized and “lived” in the Casper area. The Blueprint outlines the process and is designed to be used as a working document by the Casper Brand Board constituent partners. This Blueprint should serve as the official roadmap for the Casper Brand Board proponents and all Casper-based businesses, not-for-profits and resident population as they continue to develop and deliver on the Destination/Community Brand Promise and Commitment.

Brand Development Schedule

What the Casper Area Brand Board and its partners did in 2013 and 2014:

August–November 2013 Ü Conducted introductory destination/community brand conference calls/meetings with the Casper Brand Board members, agency of record representatives, select local government officials and community/visitor industry workshops on Branding Understanding and related Casper area brand process

December 2013–March 2014 Ü Undertook Destination/Community Brand Research and Assessment with visitors, potential visitors, residents and key industry stakeholders through online surveys and subsequent analysis

January 2014 Ü Evaluated Competitive In-State and Origin Market City Tourism Brand positioning and identity presence

April 2014 Ü Reviewed final Destination/Community Brand Research results with Casper Brand Board members and community leaders, and other key stakeholders at follow-up meetings including presentation of draft Destination Brand Promise Statement

June 2014 Ü Prepared and forwarded the final draft Destination/Community Brand Blueprint and related action plan

July–August 2014 Ü Reviewed Destination/Community Brand Blueprint report recommendations for implementation with the Casper Brand Board

destination/community brand blueprint€¦ · the destination/community brand development strategy...

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