Blog
Branding planet Earth
Does developing a tourism brand for the entire planet sound crazy? Is that regional branding run amok? I know our team could do it and I'm certainly ready to begin a thorough fact-finding tour immediately. The idea may seem silly at first, but it actually brings...
“What’s the difference between ‘brand’ and ‘positioning’?”
Recently I found myself in the Dining Hall at North Georgia College and State University having breakfast with one of the leading tourism consultants in the Southeast. While that dining room has undoubtedly witnessed many student discussions about the runny...
The “Special” relationship between a brand and a logo
There is an interesting discussion taking place in a LinkedIn group about how a logo is not a brand. I agree and think it's an important point for marketers to understand. Yet those who dismiss the value of a professional logo do so at their own peril. A brand and...
McAfee Knob doesn’t disappoint
I hit the trail early on Saturday morning to hike to McAfee Knob. In the 23 years I've lived in Roanoke, I've hiked this trail at least 15 times. Why? Because McAfee Knob is a spot that never disappoints. It's a popular spot – reportedly the most...
People are talking about the Alleghany Highlands’ Tourism Site
"We're proud to be a part of this and think it will be a huge success." That’s the message I tweeted last night as I shared a link to one of the many media outlets reporting on the launch of the new tourism website promoting the Alleghany Highlands of...
Event Promotion on Facebook
I had high expectations for social media to spread the word about a unique event. And Facebook did not let me down. It provides an interesting lesson in how Facebook can be used for event promotion Each year, the graduating class of Southeast Tourism Society Marketing...
Good ways to engage Inprint
Inprint is a unique agency. There are branding firms that develop great brand strategies but only in the broadest possible sense. They provide a rationale for their conclusions and some generic mock-ups to demonstrate how it can be implemented. They are not interested...
Introducing Virginia’s newest local tourism brand
This will very likely be a featured in a case study on our website one day. I expect this initiative to generate impressive results for our client. We’ll monitor some performance metrics over several months and report back to you. In the meantime, we just like this...
The Brands of the Roanoke Valley
For as long as I've lived in beautiful Roanoke, Virginia, I've heard some community leaders lament the lack of a cohesive regional brand. Several years ago a group tried to pull it off with an effort called NewVa. What's that, you've never heard of it?...
An undiscovered gem in Virginia’s travel scene
Over the last few months I have spent more time in the Alleghany Highlands than in my previous 22 years in Virginia combined. About six months ago the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism chose us to develop a tourism brand and the website, visitors...