It's a common refrain in marketing a regional destination.
There's always someone from one of the smaller communities (usually an elected official) that is offended by efforts to brand the destination using the largest community's name. Never mind that the research is clear that the larger community's organic name recognition will get the smaller towns noticed. They just want their town's name included.
Which, of course, will reduce the effectiveness of the brand by muddying the water.
In the case of the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater Visitor & Convention Bureau (which simply rolls off the tongue, don't it?), the DMO is hoping to rebrand as Experience Olympia. As is typical, a city councilperson objects.
“By eliminating two out of three city names from their brand, I don’t see how that benefits the region as a whole,” he said, adding that he’d rather see an all-encompassing name, such as Experience Thurston County, Experience South Sound or Experience the Gateway to the Pacific.
And, for a local...those all sound really smart. But, a destination brand needs to capture the attention of people that don't live in the region. They are the target market. Someone like, ummm, me...
Who has no friggin' idea where Thurston County is, doesn't know what a South Sound is (Allman Brothers, maybe?)...and "Gateway to the Pacific?" That could be anywhere from Baja to Vancouver.
Olympia? I've heard of that (every student of U.S. geography has)...and, I've heard it's a pretty cool town. And, I would expect there to be several cool towns around it.
Lead with your strength...and everyone benefits. Screw around with names and phrases that only locals know...and everyone loses.
Except maybe a prideful Councilman.
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