Key Challenge
No bones about it. Indiana’s Kosciusko County is acclaimed for its orthopaedics, boasting three of the world’s largest orthopaedic companies and the prestigious label of “Orthopaedics Capital of the World” (Wall Street Journal). This strong association of “Kosciusko County = orthopaedics” left little room in the minds of consumers to believe that Kosciusko County could have any other definition. The question: When developing a destination brand for the region’s tourism assets, where should orthopaedics fit in? Does the medicine of the skeleton have tourism potential? Or should the County’s orthopaedic tour de force be part of a larger mindset – a greater constellation of assets – that ultimately has more possibility for attracting visitors?
Critical Insight
North Star research found that while Kosciusko County’s singular difference is its orthopaedics renown, the region’s tourism assets – including more than 100 lakes, lots of outdoor recreation and a vital arts scene – don’t fall neatly under that umbrella. However, the County’s orthopaedics notoriety sets a scene and an expectation. A place that has been able to attract and keep three of the largest orthopaedics companies must be a community that focuses on health and wellness, which is a brand that the County’s tourism assets can own. In fact, when taken holistically, the County and its assets are windows into a culture of wellness, whether that is wellness of mind, body or spirit.
Brand Strategy
North Star recommended targeting visitors interested in healthful lifestyles (and escape from the urban stresses of nearby Chicago or Indianapolis) with a strategy based on the region’s orthopaedics acclaim and an abundance of lakes, which set the scene for a focus on health and wellness allowing visitors to enhance their well-being while having fun.
The brand’s creative identity focused on the moments of good, healthy fun that dot the landscape of Kosciusko County
. . . the moments when you feel completely alive and your mind, body and spirit are at their best. The graphic identity is anchored by the line, “Live Well in the Moment”. The logo is upbeat and energizing with bright blocks of color representing both moments of wellness and windows into the culture of wellness. Ads focus on elevating those sublime moments when everything comes together, emphasizing that while such moments are often unplanned, their probability is far greater in a place like Kosciusko County that supports their ideal. A bright, branded website helps visitors identify where, when and how their chosen wellness moment can be achieved.
Initial Concepts
One of the ways North Star brings your brand to life is with a Brand Identity package, which is the creative representation of your identity. Creative goodies include recommendations for a logo, strap line, color palette, print ads, outdoor boards, t-shirts, websites and more! (Note: The “initial concept” is North Star’s recommendation. As our client’s brand implementation progresses we will provide their “evolution of the idea”!)
Brand Action
Bringing a two-dimensional brand to life in a three-dimensional community takes a strong brand action plan. Following are a sampling of action ideas from the hundreds developed specifically for Kosciusko County. All were designed to help them wear their brands like a second skin.
- Infiltrate your infrastructure - Include signage on biking and hiking trails
offering visitors insights into how to increase the value and wellness of that
particular moment. Look for these opportunities across the community to encourage people to consider healthier moments in their daily lives. Place signage at elevators in office buildings that encourage lifestyle choices like taking the stairs.
- Brand the lake experience - Look for ways to brand your lake assets and identify live-well moments on the water. A few ideas:
- Develop a map of all the lakes that have public access. As part of the map, highlight the various types of live well moments that are available on the lakes
- Create places of reflection on and around the lakes where visitors can relax and rejuvenate. Brand each reflection site.
- Brand your website - Link to videos of “Yoga Moments”, which include everything from 5 to 45 minutes of yoga instruction courtesy of Kosciusko County.
- Recognize moments of achievement - Feature a resident or visitor who breaks a record – either a personal record or one for the County. Have a Kosciusko County book of records printed every year and available for purchase. Records can range from longest-held yoga pose to most jumping jacks. The only requirement is that the activity be healthy.
- Partner with the orthopaedics industry - Numerous partnership opportunities with the Kosciusko County orthopaedics industry are available in the context of the brand. These include:
- A special “Joint Trail” (sponsored by the three orthopaedics companies, jointly!) dedicated to all those whose lives have been improved by orthopaedics. The trail could feature exercises along the way that are in line with rehabilitation practices after common hip or knee replacement surgeries.
- A marathon or triathlon sponsored by the CVB and the big three orthopaedic companies that ends at one of the orthopaedic companies. Free tours of the facility, tests and demonstrations of orthopaedics, healthy snacks and branded giveaways can be included in the festivities at the end of the race.
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Brand merchandise - Whether it‟s a lapel pin, t-shirt, stress ball or vitamin pack, branded merchandise is a tangible, memorable way to keep the brand top-of-mind with visitors.
- Fun and innovative wrist-worn devices in the colors of the Kosciusko County logo aimed at tweens and teens (or adults) that allow them to quantify their level of physical activity.
- Branded yoga mats, workout bags, jump ropes, water bottles, stress balls and sweat bands
