Speaking Topics

Branding 101

This highly entertaining nuts and bolts session introduces the audience to branding through the use of famous retail case studies such as Got Milk? and Dove. Participants learn how to take the marketing principles that juggernauted these products to success and apply them to a community. Each attendee will craft a strategic brief for his/her community, which will be evaluated by the class and instructor.

Riveting Research? A Fresh Perspective

From applying some creativity to your research surveys to focus groups to undercover interviews, this engaging session elevates research from a dry collection of facts to a fascinating plot line that every destination can use to tell its story. Time will be spent on the rules of quantitative and qualitative research and the different types of research necessary for branding with emphasis placed on Tapestry (used for consumer profiling). Attendees will fill out and share a vision survey for their community.

Taking Risks with Creative or How Much Attention Do You Really WANT?

The creative manifestation of a brand is very subjective and there is no right or wrong outcome. This session explores the idea that communities should identify their ultimate goals and then select a creative approach most likely to get them there. Creative work from different communities will be showcased and discussed.   

Managing Communication Channels

This session will explore the importance of managing various communication channels when developing a successful community brand, honing in on press releases, websites, public meetings, brochures and ads and media coverage. Since the media can make or break a brand launch, special attention will be paid to developing strong media relationships in order to ensure fair and balanced coverage of the process.

Strategic Planning: Putting Your Brand to Work

Using anecdotes from successful cities, this session will outline a strategic plan for taking a two-dimensional tourism brand and putting it to work in a three-dimensional destination. Organizational support, communication strategies, infrastructure improvements/changes and special events/attractions will be discussed. This session will focus on strategies that really work and will discuss ways destination managers can recruit other people and budgets to work with them. Attendees will learn how to create a working inventory (with assigned values) of their city-owned communication assets.

Community-Wide or Sector-Specific: What’s Right for You?

This session explores the differences between community-wide and sector-specific branding campaigns. Using an interactive survey, participants will profile their community’s situation and determine which approach suits them best. They will also learn how to play an integral role in the process regardless of the direction taken.