Blog
Good Market Research — It’s a start.
Building a successful brand or launching an effective advertising campaign requires some up-front market research. You have to understand your customers so that you can keep them coming back as well as reach more like-minded future customers. Research can tell you...
To fund or not to fund, that is the CVB question
It seems that every week there is a news story somewhere in America about a state or local tourism office or CVB whose funding is cut, threatened or at least questioned. (Like this in Oklahoma, and this in Minnesota and this in West Virginia.) Readers of this blog...
Gut instinct is not a brand strategy
When our firm does a branding project for a client, we guide them through a three-step process. The first step is when we do our research. The next step is the evaluation of the research and the formulation of a brand strategy. The third step brings it to life with...
Focus on the experience
Advertising gurus will tell you that the way to make your message resonate with consumers is to focus on the benefits not the features of the product. In other words, instead of telling the public the details of what your product can do, tell them why it matters to...
My Holiday Wish List
I haven't compiled a Christmas list since I was a little kid, so writing this was a lot of fun. It’s much easier to create a wish list as a kid because kids want everything and they don’t know what’s possible. So why not wish for more snow days or x-ray vision. It...
What is a QR Code and how to use them effectively?
By now you have probably seen an advertisement or magazine article sporting a QR Code. If you’re not familiar with this technology, Quick Response Codes are those strange looking little blocks of black and white squares that look like static on an old television...
Update on rebranding the Roanoke Valley CVB
Time for an update and an inside look at a very cool rebranding project that was introduced in this space several months ago. Readers of this blog know that rebranding means much more than adopting a new logo or tagline. Genuine rebranding requires a wholesale...
Branding advice from City Slickers
One of my all-time favorite movies is City Slickers starring Billy Crystal. It's about three middle-aged buddies who take a vacation to a working ranch and go on a cattle drive. The tough-as-nails crew boss is played by Jack Palance, who in a famous scene tells...
Political Advertising: No, thanks
In this final week of campaigning there is an advertising blitz going on designed to help people make their decision before election day. The only conclusion that all this advertising leads me to: I'm really glad that our firm specializes in tourism, hospitality...
Roanoke, VA : Outdoor Hub of the Mid-Atlantic
Q. What is the most famous hiking trail in America? A. The Appalachian Trail, and nearly a quarter of its 2100 miles are in Virginia including long, scenic stretches that run right through the Roanoke Valley. Q. What is the most visited unit of the National Park...
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