Key Challenge
To bay or not to bay? Mobile, Alabama is nestled on a Gulf Coast bay and boasts an almost paradoxical blend of cultures, attractions and water activities. But outside the city limits, no one seemed to have a feel for the soul of this Southern port city. In fact, many people don’t even know it’s on the water.

Critical Insight
Taking a page from New Orleans’ book, Mobile is an intriguing blend of bars and ballrooms, street fairs and symphonies, French and Southern, sweet tea and fine wine. But while most regional outsiders have “heard” of Mobile, few are familiar with her many charms. The key is to make the city’s name a catalyst for creating interest by changing it from Mobile to Mobile Bay, carrying all the inherent value a coastal location warrants.

Brand Strategy
For people who like the south with a twist of spice and a splash of water, Mobile Bay is a southern port city in Mississippi, where a paradox of cultures is set against a backdrop of coastal living so you feel like there is always something to see, do and hear.  

 

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”!)

 

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 Mobile Bay. All were designed to help them wear their brands like a second skin.

• Bring awareness to the water - Research revealed that many people do not know Mobile is on the water - change the name from Mobile to Mobile Bay and connect the community to the water!
  
  
• Baycation - Trademark the phrase Baycation for use in advertising and promotions.
  
  
• Embrace Jimmy Buffet. Do whatever it takes to ingratiate Jimmy Buffet to his home town. He is immediately tied to water and leisure travel pursuits.
  
  
• Affiliate Mobile Bay with Tampa Bay and San Francisco Bay. Create a “Meetings by the Bay” promotion providing incentives for a rotating schedule. Establish a cooperative “Bay Businesses” discount promotion.

Results

• Trademarked the North Star-recommended line, “Baycation”
  
  
• Evolved the brand for tourism to include the concept “Go Coastal”
  
  
• Integrated brand language and Bay-based tourism products into all communications including the website, Facebook, Twitter, apps, mobi site, visitors guide, advertising, merchandise, trade shows and conventions and a tourism newsletter called BAYnews
  
  
  
  
• Extraordinary development of Bay-based tourism products including
• Partnership with cruise lines
• Water taxis
• Sunset dinner and wine cruises
• Bayside seafood restaurants promoting water views from your table
• Complete build-out of hotels (14 new properties in 2009 alone)
• Arts, dining and culture targeting a “Baycation” for the senses
  
  
• Named professional baseball club the Mobile BayBears
  
  
  
• Opened Bay City Convention & Tours, a step-on tour operator
  
  
• The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce developed an integrated logo and line, “On the water, on the move” with a local ad agency, Lewis Communications, and started looking for ways to connect the Bay location to economic development
  
  
• Spent hundreds of millions of dollars updating the port in anticipation of the expansion of the Panama Canal promoting it using Mobile Bay. Became the eighth largest volume port in the country
• Started actively pursuing hotels, restaurants, entertainment to accommodate the growing cruise travel business

Kudos

“The way we talked to our customers totally changed, we began focusing on what a Bay experience meant for the five senses . . . the touch and the taste of our diverse culture and the sea breezes. Our official music became a Caribbean mix with a sax, sort of Florida meets New Orleans. We adopted an official menu featuring gumbo, West Indies salad and a fried seafood platter as well as an official drink, the Mobile Bay Sunset. Visitors could sit on the balcony at the Grand Hotel holding their drinks up to the sunset, comparing the colors.

The Mobile Bay brand also helped us regionally, for years the city tried to talk to visitors focusing on history alone. But history alone doesn’t sell.  Focusing on the Bay cast us in a totally different light and helped us build some critical regional partnerships we needed to grow as a destination.” 
- Landon Howard, Vice President and Director of Marketing, Mobile Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau

“North Star got to the essence and the future of Mobile. Be on the lookout for Mobile Bay.”
- Mike Dow, Mayor, City of Mobile