Destination Branding

- Overview
- What is a community brand?
- Do you need a brand?
- YOU WANT TO:
- Develop a new brand
- Use an existing logo/line
- Conduct more research
- Create a custom product

Dublin, Ohio
Tourism Branding Study

Key Challenge
Rolling up the streets on weekends. The streets of upscale Dublin, Ohio come to life during the week with business travelers and twice a year during its major festival and golf tournament. But on weekends the town shuts down as weary business folk head home after meetings. And despite great golf, shopping and attractions, the weekend slack was not being picked up by leisure travelers except during the town’s two major events. How to make business travelers extend their stay for pleasure and leisure travelers consider Dublin as a destination year round?

Critical Insight
Travelers are keen on green. Residents of lovely Dublin, Ohio – despite their lack of much true Irish blood – have embraced their community’s “Irish roots” both in spirit and with a limited selection of Irish shops, pubs and events (Dublin Irish Festival, St. Patrick’s Day). But research revealed that travelers – young, old, business and leisure – are keen on all things green and expect a much more authentic Irish experience when visiting a town named Dublin. They would visit Dublin more frequently if the community offered more of everything Irish. Adding to the lure are Dublin’s many excellent golf courses, which when combined with Irish attractions, are the traveler’s equivalent to the pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow.

Brand Strategy
Don’t just acknowledge your connection to Ireland, embrace it full force. Although you may not have true Irish in your blood, you certainly can have it in your heart.

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

Hear Dublin on the Radio (546 kb)

Irish Attitude Brand Video

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 Dublin. All were designed to help them wear their brand like a second skin.

Go for the Guinness - Work with Guinness to develop a Guinness Museum and Brewery that is a sister attraction to the one in Dublin, Ireland (top tourist attraction in Ireland).
Hone in on golf - Dublin does golf as well as it does Irish. Sponsor lucky spots on golf courses throughout Dublin, create “Luck of the Irish” spots. If your ball lands in these spots, you get a free stroke off your score and a free Irish drink at the bar.

Help business travelers find the perfect excuse - Create “10 top excuses” the business traveler can use with his/her spouse and boss to stay and play golf in Dublin. Develop posters, postcards and merchandise with the excuses and include them on the website and in an email campaign to your business traveler database. Excuses could include:
- I'm feeling lucky today
- I've been working so hard I hallucinated a leprechaun. I need a break.
- Jack Nicklaus asked me to share a green beer with him after I play 18.
- The grass (and the beer) really are greener here.
Develop “Irish is an attitude” merchandise - Create a line of “Irish is an attitude” and “I heart Dublin” (where heart is part of a four leaf clover; see below) merchandise including shirts, sweatshirts, ball caps, golf balls, key chains, charms, mouse pads, koozies, mugs, etc.

Results

Three first-place Ruby Awards and a second-place award from the Ohio Travel Association
Best Marketing Campaign in Ohio award from the Ohio Travel Association
Six first-place MIDDY Awards from the Ohio Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus
Two first-place PRism Awards from the Central Ohio Public Relations Society of America.
Accreditation from the prestigious Destination Marketing Accreditation Program developed by the Washington, DC-based Destination Marketing Association International (one of the criteria was brand and brand management)
5.4 million media impressions or $167,908.90 in ad equivalency
More than 10,000 new meeting and convention business room nights
Web visitation up 54%
17 new motorcoach tours
Secured the 2010 Can-Am Police-Fire Games (with an economic impact of more than $3.5 million for the local economy)
Established “Living the Irish Attitude” award for businesses and organizations that embrace Dublin’s destination brand. Presented six inaugural awards.

Kudos