Ask 10 people to locate Vermont on a map of the United States and nine will probably fail. It’s a small state above Massachusetts, next to New York, bordering Canada. Most famous as the home of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, it is also a popular tourist destination.
Surprisingly, Vermont has never had a professional tourism brand. Until now. Since new brand images and messaging for state-wide tourism efforts do not come along often, this deserves some discussion.
Note: Mikula-Harris was not involved in the creative work. As a branding firm, we’re simply sharing some thoughts on interesting, new work that has been in the news.
Full disclosure: I love Vermont. I grew up in the neighboring state of New Hampshire, so it was an easy drive across the river for hiking, camping, and especially, skiing.
To the east of NH is Maine, which actually calls itself “Vacationland.” To the south is Massachusetts, but the truth is, aside from going to a Bruins or Red Sox game, I never had much desire to go there. The White Mountain Region of northern New Hampshire is a great place to hang out. Of all the bordering states, I always thought Vermont was the best choice.
When we help clients with destination brands, before we present our ideas, we look at it through three filters:
- It must be truthful.
A tourism brand can’t project an inaccurate image of a place. If visitors feel mislead, not only will they not return, they will also tell everyone they know about their disappointment.
- It must help differentiate.
This is usually the greatest branding challenge. The visual brand image can contribute as much to differentiation as written words, like a tagline or ad campaign.
- It must have potential to move the needle. A brand strategy requires finding what is unique and special about a place, but it is important to ask the hard question of whether it will actually entice visitors. At the same time, avoid falling into the trap of promising something for everyone. That message has no meaning and is certainly not differentiated.
With all three of these filters in mind, overall, I give the new Vermont branding high marks. My favorite part is the logo. It’s unique, fun, and, in my opinion, fits the personality of Vermont. Normally, don’t like excessive symbolism in a logo. After all, it’s supposed to remind people of the brand, not define it. In this case, there is just the right amount of symbolism — the “e” is meant to be a winding road and the “m” represents mountains. Perfect and tasteful.
The tagline is OK. I have a philosophy on taglines that some in the industry don’t agree with. I reject the common formula that where there is a logo, there must be a tagline. Tagline is a status that should be earned. Virginia is for Lovers was created as a campaign and it resonated with the public. That’s how it should be done. Of all the things I have experienced in Vermont — great food, kindness, scenery, every conceivable kind of snow condition — I’m not sure I have ever been inspired by the state.
The supporting creative work is mostly good. I like the notion of six(ish) seasons of Vermont and Winter Happens Outside, both of which are consistent with the idea of Vermont inspiring people to action. However, “Farm to table. We just call it dinner” doesn’t rise to the level of creativity that the rest of the brand exuded. And “Fall for Vermont” is not only beneath this brand, it’s beneath every destination brand.
I’m excited to see this major step forward for Vermont tourism. Now, if the leadership there will follow through with the next steps of building brand awareness, I think they will be highly successful. Hopefully, not to the detriment of tourism in New Hampshire.
