Key Challenge
Overlooking the obvious...Sometimes the thing that makes your destination unique is as clear as the nose on your face . . . that is, to everyone but you.  Montrose, Colorado is perched on the rim of the awe-inspiring Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park – but has done little to leverage that relationship.  Sometimes you just assume that people are making the connection between you and the nose on your face – or the canyon in your backyard.  In fact, in the void of information, visitors were actually connecting the canyon to better-known but much-more-distant Gunnison, Colorado.  Exacerbating the situation was the relative obscurity of the Black Canyon – a direct result of being the newest addition to the national park family and the notorious under marketing of most national parks in general.

Critical Insight
Gaining Perspective...When your destination exists on the very edge of the awe-inspiring Black Canyon, your tourism destiny is clear. Position your community as the portal to this national treasure.  Adding to the allure of the Canyon connection is Montrose’s singular position in the Colorado tourism landscape – non-commercial, arty, western, historical and a haven for diverse outdoor recreation. 

It turns out Montrose offers visitors three times the fun for their travel dollar:   portal to the Canyon, base camp for recreation and home to a western history almost as old, deep and rugged as the Black Canyon itself.

Brand Strategy
North Star recommended Montrose position itself as a historical town in the heart of southwest Colorado on the edge of the awe-inspiring Black Canyon, where it serves as base camp for deep adventure and unexpected wonder  . . . putting all things in perspective.

The creative concept “Look Deeper” is about taking the time to give this unique and complex place the attention it deserves, and the rewards that come from doing so.

It invites visitors to take their time exploring the spiritual and life-changing experience that is the Black Canyon.  At the same time it encourages people to “look deeper” into a town that’s more than just a tourist attraction or a mark on the map. 

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 the Montrose. All were designed to help them wear their brands like a second skin.

• Brand merchandise - Coffee shops could offer an oversized mug with the Montrose logo imprinted on the mug and the line ―Look Deeper in the bottom of the mug (guests receive endless free refills);
  

• Stationary and Packaging - Postcards are a traditional destination tool and a perfect fit for a destination in need of defining itself.
  • Consider an accordion pack of postcards interspersed with the spiritual sayings, quotes and facts that appear on the website. This approach allows Montrose to better describe and define itself than does a single postcard or even a series. It also presents a more effective device for generating positive word-of-mouth advertising and may be considered more collectible.
    
    
    
• Publications and Collateral - Re-design the Visitors Guide from cover to last page. The cover should reflect the same depth, feel and texture of the creative employed in the advertisements, particularly the ad that will appear in the Colorado Visitors Guide, and is reinforced on the website Home Page. This creates a powerful synergy.
  

Kudos

"Montrose struggled with how to position itself in the tourism industry for years. Thanks to North Star we now have a clear direction. Through the extensive research we have learned who our visitor is, where they are coming from and what they do or want to do in Montrose. And the creative work North Star developed is absolutely topnotch. We feel confident that we have the knowledge and the brand to uniquely distinguish ourselves in this competitive marketplace." - Jenni Sopsic, Executive Director, Montrose Convention and Visitors Bureau