Community Branding: Alliance, NE Case Study

For some communities their greatest asset is also their biggest challenge. The question then becomes, "Do you identify yourself with the asset despite associated problems or select a less controversial point of difference?"
Alliance, Nebraska faced just such a quandary when it embarked on branding. This small, agricultural community is a major hub for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad. The railroad is the area’s largest employer, it is historically significant and links the community internally and externally.

On the flip side, the railroad can be very stressful for families due to the 24/7 work week. Transplants use Alliance as a career stepping stone, moving away once they’ve established themselves; and local employers (including farmers) lose workers to the railroad due to the higher-paying salaries.

Research determined that the railroad doesn’t make Alliance different from its competitors, but the IMPACT of the railroad does. Like the "wind in your hair" feeling of movement one gets riding a train, everything about Alliance is wide open –people, attitudes, ingenuity, possibilities, opportunities, connections . . . even the horizons. And so, it seems, is the Alliance brand!

Community Branding: Forest City, Iowa Case Study

Think great brands are only the jurisdiction of bigger cities? Think again!

Forest City, Iowa, (pop. 4,300) is so small that stakeholders often question whether they are a big neighborhood or a small city. This tiny town was looking for an identity that captured its essence in an appealing and enticing way. They also wanted that identity to give a nod to the character of Winnebago, its biggest employer and benefactor, whose largesse had fueled the city’s high quality of life and wonderful assortment of amenities including everything from a
a movie theater, YMCA and bowling alley to a liberal arts college, performing arts and local restaurants. At the same time, leaders did not want Forest City to be known only for Winnebago.

Research soon found that what makes this small city so special is exactly that . . . its size. Forest City is not just the home of the “home on wheels,” it is simply home. The community is close-knit and supportive. The quality of life is warm and nurturing. The environment is green and natural. The amenities are varied and unexpected . . . especially for such a small town. Turns out life in Forest City is a lot like a journey in a Winnebago . . . close, intimate and full of unexpected surprises and luxuries. And while life in Forest City fully prepares you to travel far and do big things, at the end of the day you’ll yearn to return to its security and warm embrace. Just like home.

North Star partnered with local agency, Blue Space, to help bring this brand to life creatively. Blue Space married the ideas of close-knit community, family and home with the green influences evoked by the town’s name. The end result is a warm, natural creative manifestation of the brand.

Turns out big things really do come in small packages.

Community Branding: La Porte, TX Case Study

Sometimes taking one step back actually helps a community take several steps forward. Consider the case of La Porte, Texas. This small port city was recently rocked by Hurricane Ike. With grit, gumption and a real sense for its future, La Porte (which had embarked on a city branding campaign just prior to the storm) decided to dovetail many of its rebuilding plans with the city brand for a more cohesive community feel. It just so happened that the brand also took a step back, harkening to La Porte’s past when the community was considered the playground of Houston’s elite.

In the 20’s and 30’s, La Porte’s location on the sandy shores of Sylvan Beach coupled with cool breezes and a high-class commuter train from Houston made it the place to be. But beach erosion and the closing of the train took this tiny town right off the tourism map. North Star research found that despite these setbacks, La Porte still retained many of the qualities that once made it a playground. Hospitable residents, breezes 10 degrees cooler than Houston, a rare bay front location and clear views of the water define the city. (While in large part supported by the petrochemical and chemical industries, not a single plant is visible from the city’s waterfront areas.)

Add to it all extensive renovation and development plans including bringing sand back to the beach and advancing the art deco aesthetic of the 20’s era and La Porte is becoming a city whose present and future holds as much appeal as its past.

"With its development and new City brand, La Porte really can claim its position as a port town reminiscent of the easy stylized vibe of the 20’s and 30’s," said McEachern. "But don’t let the relaxed attitude fool you. It is one of those rare places where business and pleasure are in perfect balance."

The Community brand strategy recommended positioning La Porte as a portal to both the gentility and charm of the past and the wide open vista of the future. A simple strapline, "By the bay" shines a light on the community’s greatest asset and allows for tremendous flexibility in identifying the city, tourism, economic development and more (i.e., Business by the bay, Music by the bay). A distinct art deco style resounds throughout the language and look of the brand including the logo, advertising, signage and the website.

In other places people may spend their time doing things by the book. But in La Porte, people do things by the bay. And frankly, that’s just a better way!

Destination Branding: Allegheny National Forest Case Study

Is it possible to be the center of an area’s assets but still not be the center of attention?

Such was the case McKean County located along the northeastern edge of the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) in Pennsylvania. North Star Destination Strategies conducted a tourism strategic plan that revealed blurred perceptions of this beautiful destination among visitors . . . . despite the fact that its geographic location puts it at the intersection of most of the major recreational trails in the region.

“Blurred boundaries meant that visitors didn’t know where McKean County’s many assets began and ended,” explained Don McEachern, CEO of North Star. “They didn’t know that it is the hub of the region’s trails. And despite the fact that tourism is governed by an organization called the Allegheny National Forest Tourism Bureau, visitors weren’t really associating the county with the well-known forest.”

North Star had two major recommendations. First, take ownership of the ANF’s strong destination brand. “Whenever possible they needed to market to consumers as the ANF or the ANF Tourism Bureau, not as McKean County,” says McEachern. “Second, they needed to claim their rightful place in the ANF as trail central.”

Turns out North Star research also discovered that McKean County has more trails to take credit for than even they knew. In addition to traditional hiking and walking trails, the destination boasts the intersection of ATV, driving, antique, history, architecture, water and vertical (skydiving!) trails. And the trails don’t shut down when winter comes, they just open up additional recreational opportunities including snowshoeing, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. The cherry on top: all those trails are tied directly to the area’s railroad and lumber heritage. Talk about your trail mix!

The resulting destination brand positioned McKean County (marketed as ANF Tourism Bureau) as the center point for all trail adventure in Pennsylvania. Using the strapline Trail Central, marketing materials focused on identifying the wide variety of trail adventures available in the area targeting not just outdoor enthusiasts but shoppers, sightseers, diners and more. Because nature and heritage are key aspects of any ANF trail experience, design elements representing them such as seasonal leaves were woven throughout the entire brand identity package.

Check out the resulting creative work here: http://www.northstarideas.com/tourism/t-AlleghenyNationalForest.htm