Montana’s Branding Initiative

1. Montana’s Branding Initiative 2008 Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation

2. Today’s Highlights • Overview of Branding • Montana Tourism Strategy • Uncovering the Montana Brand • The Target Audience • Stakeholder Input • Preliminary Brand Platform • How It Tested • Final Brand Platform • How It Changed • How To Use It

3. What is a Brand? • Medieval Concept • Before packaging or advertising • Differentiate products in the marketplace • Signal to the Consumer • Sets expectations • Facilitates referral and repeat purchase

4. A Brand …..Is • Essential attributes that distinguish a product, good or service from its competitors • Direct/indirect consumer experience • Consumer perception of people who use the product • Strategic roadmap for advertising, marketing and promotion

5. A Brand…..is NOT! • Advertising slogan or tagline • Clever play on words that requires explanation • Consensus statement that captures every possible attribute, instead of the strongest • Something that changes from year to year

6. Destination BrandingGone Wrong • Seattle • “Metronatural” • Washington State • “Say WA!” • Kansas • “As Big as You Think” • Maryland • “More Than You Can Imagine” • Puerto Rico • “No Passport Required”

7. Destination BrandingDone Right • Las Vegas • 1998 • Changed branding strategy to attract families but kept gambling and show girls • Advertising Campaigns • Its Anything and Everything! • Open 24 Hours! • 2003 • Return to core brand strategy • Unique adult entertainment escape • Advertising Campaigns • What Happens Here, Stays Here

8. Branding Done Right • National Park Service • 380+ units, 7 regions, etc • Visitation leveling off, public support weak • Confused and fractured communication • Common element was overcrowding and deteriorating facilities • Internal and External Research • Brand is based on uniquely personal experience and patriotism • Expression of Brand: “Experience Your America”

9. Montana Tourism Strategy

10. Montana Tourism Strategy • 2008 – 2012 Strategic Plan • Goal 1 - Increase four-season tourism revenues statewide through effective marketing and promotions, focusing on high-value, low impact visitors • ITRR Research • Montana visitors highly satisfied, likely to visit again, recommend

11. Montana Tourism Strategy • Attract the first time visitor • Experience sells return visit • Marketing should focus on new customers, first time visitors • Attract high value, low impact visitors • GeoTourism, defined by National Geographic • Tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place – its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well being of its residents. • Visitor experiences that maintain a destination’s sense of place and complement rather than compete with the needs of local residents • 55-65 million Americans

12. Montana Tourism Strategy • Montana Tourism Charter • Statewide consensus on tourism strategy • Calls for development of unique and powerful brand platform • Crown of the Continent • Geotourism MapGuide • Local residents nominate world class natural, cultural and historical assets • Stewardship Council • Promote geotourism and encourage regional stewardship • Greater Yellowstone MapGuide Project • Next logical step

13. Uncovering the Montana Brand The Target Audience

14. The Target Audience – The Process • Starting point - attitudes, behaviors and demographics to deliver low impact, high value tourist • Attitudes – help us “connect” with tourist through promotion that speaks to them • Demographics – qualify prospects • Behaviors – Best predictor of future activity is past. • Research • Qualitative and Quantitative • Refinement • Based on results of survey we identified subsets of the low impact, high value target that is especially receptive to what MT has to offer.

15. The Target Audience – Painting a PictureMontana Responsive Geotourists • Less like……. • -into seeing nature, sort of, but not touching it. • -into high end accommodations and lots of shopping, luxury and avoiding any inconveniences • -watching sitcoms, reality TV, talk shows, game shows and pop culture • -couch potatoes • -35 to 45 • -living in the Northeast • -household income over 150k • More like……. • -Place premium on nature, wildlife, being comfortable, great experiences and a sense of exhilaration • -Active in outdoors with rigorous and leisurely activity. • -Some are on budgets and looking for economical trip, others less so. • -Listen to radio, watch PBS, nature shows. • -45 to 55 years of age • -Live in West or South and a bit from Midwest • -Household income is 75k to 149k

16. Target Audience in Their Own Words Top of Mind Associations, Open spaces, remote, unpronounced, Dude ranches Biggest Barriers -lack iconic destinations -too much unknown/risk -lack of differentiation 16 Six focus groups, 2 per market (Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta)

17. Uncovering the Montana Brand Stakeholder Input

18. STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS • Eight Meetings Statewide • Kalispell, Missoula, Helena (2), Bozeman, Billings, Glasgow, Great Falls • 300+ total participants

19. WHAT MONTANA OFFERSATTRIBUTES • STRENGTHS (in vacuum) • Natural beauty (Glacier, Water, Mountains) • Open spaces • Wildlife - diverse/abundant • Fewer people • Rugged perception/wild flavoring/Old West • People (friendly, easy going, laid back) • National parks/monuments • Recreation/outdoors • Unique historic and natural aspects • Art culture and cultural opportunities • WEAKNESSES • Remote • Don’t look like me • Lack high touch customer service • Unfamiliar • Not different enough • Perceived risk • Inconveniences

20. STRENGTHS TO COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE • STRENGTHS (in vacuum) • Natural beauty (Glacier, Water, Mountains) • Open spaces • Wildlife - diverse/abundant • Fewer people • Rugged perception/wild flavoring/Old West • People (friendly, easy going, laid back) • National parks/monuments • Recreation/outdoors • Unique historic and natural aspects • Art culture and cultural opportunities • COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE • Natural beauty (Glacier, Water, Mountains) • Open spaces • Wildlife - diverse/abundant • Rugged perception/wild flavoring/Old West • No sales tax • Canadian gateway • Fewer people

21. RELEVANT TO TARGET AUDIENCE • COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE • Natural beauty (Glacier, Water, Mountains) • Open spaces • Wildlife - diverse/abundant • Rugged perception/wild flavoring/Old West • No sales tax • Canadian gateway • Fewer people • Natural beauty (Glacier, Water, Mountains) • Open spaces • Wildlife - diverse/abundant

22. FROM ATTRIBUTES TO EXPERIENCE WHAT MONTANA NEEDS TO DELIVER • FUNCTIONAL ATTRIBUTES • Natural beauty (Glacier, Water, Mountains) • Open spaces • Wildlife - diverse/abundant BENEFIT BASED ATTRIBUTES • Spirit of adventure • Unbeaten path • Great outdoor experience • Comfort • Charm • Risk-free • Convenience • WEAKNESSES • Remote • Don’t look like me • Lack high touch customer service • Unfamiliar • Not different enough • Perceived risk • Inconveniences

23. Brand Platform • More spectacular unspoiled nature than anywhere else in the lower 48 • Vibrant and charming small towns that serve as gateways to the natural wonders • Montanans who are passionate about their state and eager to guide visitors to unique four-season experiences that match each visitors’ interests

24. BRAND PLATFORM • More spectacular unspoiled nature than anywhere else in the lower 48 • Key Point of Differentiation • Builds on the core strength of the Montana tourism product • Leverages positive associations with Alaska • Captures “spirit of adventure” “great outdoor experience” and “unbeaten path” • Need to “iconify” 8 – 10 particular locations • Glacier NP, Yellowstone NP, Flathead Lake, Bob Marshall, Bitterroot, Continental Divide, etc • Crown of the Continent is a strong start

25. BRAND PLATFORM • Vibrant and charming small towns that serve as gateways to the natural wonders • Mitigates “remote” with image of pockets of visitor services • Captures “comfort” and “charm” needs of audience • Shifts focus from communities as destinations to communities as gateways

26. BRAND PLATFORM • Montanans who are passionate about their state, and eager to guide visitors to unique four-season experiences that match each visitor’s interests • Mitigates fear of the unknown with a personalized invitation • Captures “risk-free” and “convenience” • Overcomes “mystique” with promise of customized experiences • Will need programming and communications support to deliver on this

27. What’s Not Addressed (Explicitly) • Old West, Big Sky, Dinosaurs, Lewis and Clark….. • Clearly important parts of the Montana tourism product • Not strongly defining of Montana • For instance, focus groups associated Wyoming and Calgary strongly with the Old West • Big Sky suggested empty and desolate • Not highest relevance to target audience • Strong part of the experience of visitation that leads to repeat visit

28. Final Brand Platform

29. Quantitative Research • Online, nationwide, census representative • Screened on attitudes, demographics and behaviors • 500 completed interviews • 15 Minute Survey

30. Draft Positioning 30

31. Attributes: Importance vs. Performance 31 MORE IMPORTANT Uncrowded areas Open space Montana’s strongest attributes, but not the most important BETTER MT PERFORMANCE Variety of wildlife Brand Platform Abundant wildlife Natural scenic beauty Experience new different things Areas to be leveraged Charming small towns Inviting National parks National monuments Exhilaration Thrilling Less relevant Comfortable Feel at home Helpful residents Knowledgeable residents Convenient to travel around Convenient to travel to

32. Final Brand Platform • More spectacular unspoiled nature than anywhere else in the lower 48 United States • Vibrant and charming small towns that serve as gateways to the natural wonders • Breathtaking experiences by day, relaxing hospitality at night

33. Final Brand Platform • Breathtaking Experiences By Day • Conveys exhilaration • Both physically and/or visually breathtaking, depending on the interests of the audience • Leverages “spectacular unspoiled nature” into a personal experience • “Experiences” not “adventures” • “Experiences” is softer, broader, more accessible than “adventures”

34. Final Brand Platform • Relaxing hospitality at night • Low key • Conveys comfort, sense of warmth, welcome • Not lavish or lush • That’s not credible with the audience • Day/Night • Suggestive of a balance between exhilaration and comfort • Not meant to be restrictive

35. Breathtaking experiences Breathtaking experiences Breathtaking experiences • Spectacular • Nature Asset #1 • Vibrant & • Charming • Gateways Asset #2 relaxing hospitality relaxing hospitality relaxing hospitality

36. Final Brand Platform • Using the Brand Platform • Remember Las Vegas • Unique adult entertainment escape (Brand) • What Happens Here, Stays Here (Creative) • Internal Road Map • Not consumer focused language • Remember the focus on first time visitors • Strongest appeal to convert non-visitor targets to visitors • Repeat visitors will explore depth and breadth of the Montana offering

37. Final Brand Platform • Designed to work together • Statement One - Differentiator • Distinguishes Montana from competitor states • Statement Two - Mitigator • Mitigates “remote” without denying it • Statement Three – Brand Builder • Leverages strengths (nature) to drive up qualities audience desires (comfort, exhilaration)

38. Final Brand Platform • Personalizing the story • Role for the people of Montana in the creative expression of the brand • Testing did not evaluate messengers, it evaluated message • Passionate Montanans can be strong messengers for the state, if they convey the brand platform • United we stand…….. • $76 million in annual Montana tourism promotion • Major marketing weight IF unified around the brand platform • Major confusion in the marketplace if NOT unified around the brand platform

39. Next Steps • Brand Guidebook • Fall 2008 • Statewide roadshow and training • Fall 2008 • New Travel Montana Creative • December 2008 • Follow Up Tools and Templates • Spring 2009

40. Montana’s Branding Initiative 2008 Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation