For more information contact:  Andy Larsen, Boelter+Lincoln Marketing Communications, 414/271-0101

FACT SHEET

WISCONSIN TOURISM BRANDING INITIATIVE AND NEW BRAND PLATFORM

LAKE GENEVA, Wis. (March 4, 2008) - Nearly six months ago, the Wisconsin Department of Tourism undertook a legacy-level initiative to develop a new brand that would guide marketing communications for Wisconsin's travel and hospitality industry, but one that could potentially be applied to commerce, agriculture, natural resources, even education and workforce development as well. The results of that initiative - the state's new brand platform - will be announced by Governor Doyle on Tuesday evening, March 4 at the final event of the 2008 Governor's Conference on Tourism.

Background 

As the only state agency with marketing activities specified in its charter, the Wisconsin Department of Tourism has, for years, undertaken a variety of marketing and advertising activities to attract travelers. To help further its goal of increasing the economic impact of Wisconsin's tourism industry, the Department - under the leadership of its new secretary, Kelli A. Trumble - decided last fall to further define and identify its brand. Specifically, that initiative sought to identify the single attribute that differentiates Wisconsin's visitor experience from those of competing states. While a brand platform is not a slogan or an ad headline, but rather an emotionally charged connection on which people base behaviors, it will provide a strategic framework from which a new theme line, advertising concepts and marketing materials will be developed.

The Process 

The branding initiative began in October 2007 with the appointment of a Branding Committee, made up of marketing experts from state organizations both inside and outside of tourism. Representatives from brands such as Harley-Davidson and the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, along with leaders from the Native American, advertising/marketing and arts communities (among many others) volunteered their time to the process. A firm nationally known for brand marketing strategy -- Lindsay Stone & Briggs -- served as facilitators for the group.

The mission of the committee was to create a "unifying competitive strategy" designed to work across geographic regions, state agencies and business sectors. The process of brand research and evaluation, which took place over a period of five months, involved a review of existing as well as new industry and consumer research; a review of states that have successfully branded themselves; input from industry groups, staff, vendors and legislators; and, finally, an extensive creative strategy development process, designed to focus on factors that drive travelers to Wisconsin. 

To help the committee uncover why travelers choose Wisconsin, consumer focus groups were held in Minneapolis, Chicago and Wausau during October and November. The input from these focus groups helped to identify how visitors perceived Wisconsin as being different from its nearby competitors, many of whom have parity products.

Also in October, the committee reached out to 150 members of the Wisconsin tourism industry and related businesses including non-profits, tourism vendors, education leaders, professional associations and others. This online survey stimulated a surprising response, as recipients responded so enthusiastically to the Department's request that they forward it to other industry members. It ultimately generated more than 450 responses - three the times the number of surveys that were originally e-mailed.

In November, meetings were held with key stakeholders within the industry, including Department of Tourism staff, tourism associations, vendors and civic groups, as well as members of the Governor's Council on Tourism. In addition, state agencies and many diversified state associations participated. Each group went through a branding evaluation and discovery process similar to what the branding committee had gone through in its initial meetings.

Governor Doyle is due to unveil the new brand platform to the full tourism industry on Tuesday, March 4 as part of the closing ceremony of the 2008 Governor's Conference on Tourism at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva.

The Brand Platform 

The new brand platform pays tribute to Wisconsin as a place where the people are fiercely proud, passionate and loyal, and where the culture fuels creativity and embraces originality. It puts the spotlight on the Wisconsin style of hospitality and the friendly people who deliver it, giving visitors a genuine sense of belonging. This hospitality and culture of originality allow visitors to fully "be themselves," in other words, to relax and pursue their passions.

The brand promise reads: "Because of the passionate nature of the state's people to create fun, express themselves in original ways and feel more comfortable doing it here than anywhere else, in Wisconsin originality rules." The architects of the brand positioning believe the benefit is that Wisconsin's brand of originality is both the fun kind that makes life worth living and the serious kind that gives business a competitive edge.

Next Steps

 The new brand platform will guide the development of a new theme line, new visuals and new advertising campaigns. It also has the potential to serve as the basis for all of Wisconsin's marketing communications and key messaging from state agencies including the Department of Commerce, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Workforce Development, and more.

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