By yesterday afternoon, it was official...the embattled Evansville CVB had finally selected a new CEO. Bob Warren, currently heading the City of Galena IL's Destination Marketing Organization, is the DMO pro that will lead the ECVB back to respectability and, more importantly, productivity after a year of missteps.
And, while one could say that what is good for Evansville would be bad for Galena, I have a slightly different take. Those that have been watching the ugly machinations in that sensational destination over the past few years know that a once $1+ million DMO was split into two organizations that now struggle to have the same impact a single DMO once did.
The County DMO has been without a permanent Director for over a year. Now, the City DMO has a vacancy.
Can this be the moment in time that the two sides can put down their pick axes and jointly agree on a new leader...and a reformation of a single, powerful organization to grow the region's economy? Or will the personality conflicts at the root of the split continue to hold that region's economy back from what it could be?
One can only hope...
Photo Credit: Mike Willis
That is totally insane! Sounds like a battle of power and egos on the part of government.
Posted by: Janice Marshall | April 26, 2011 at 07:53
Unfortunately, there are even worse examples out there. I just don't get it.
Posted by: Jack Hughes | April 26, 2011 at 09:08
I didn't know about this mess. Ego and politics have ruined many a DMO.
Posted by: Gina Speckman | April 26, 2011 at 09:28
Depends. Having more money doesn't mean it is any less expensive to embed the brands of two distinct communities. If that is all it took, there would be no destination marketing other than the good ole USA.
Posted by: Reyn Bowman | April 26, 2011 at 10:30
True...but these are two distinct brands only in the minds of the players. For those of us that know and love the destination, the City and the County are a single brand. And, when unnecessary duplicative administration eats up a limited pool of money, a destination often forfeits business that it could have lured.
Posted by: Bill Geist | April 26, 2011 at 10:44
I haven't seen the research establishing that nor am I familiar with the specifics in this instance.
My only point is that DMO execs should be very wary of jumping to the conclusions either that there is an automatic economy of scale or that lumping brands together is possible. It can only work if the identies are indeed the same in reality and if consumers can and do indeed experience them as one.
Typically what drives something that appears illogical like this is much more significant than politics. If destinaztion brands aren't marketed, then the identities are indeed significant only to internal audiences...the very essence of destination marketing is to create brand awareness....
Posted by: Reyn Bowman | April 28, 2011 at 05:19