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Scenic Byway Community Announcements and NewsAdirondack Trail Scenic Byway Marketing Project Reports Scenic Byways 2006-2007 Marketing Project Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway Meeting #2 – Branding the Byway Notes Report from Fuller Communications, Project Facilitator On Wednesday, January 24, 2007, 11 Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway stakeholders participated in the second meeting of the Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway for ANCA’s 2006-2007 Marketing and Interpretation Project. Participants at the five-hour networking, information, and exchange session, at the Goff-Nelson Memorial Library in downtown Tupper Lake, came from Franklin, Hamilton, Fulton, and Montgomery counties. They represented museums, chambers of commerce, park and recreation departments, and volunteer groups in communities along the Byway Trail, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, and the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Four of the attendees had been involved in the preparation of the Corridor Management Plan. The objective of this meeting was to gather information from participants and gain consensus for the byway brand – the compelling benefits and tangible and intangible values that visitors experience while traveling this byway that strongly distinguish it from other destinations. The Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway Brand, composed of the brand statement and values documents, attached, is the outcome. The brand is the foundation for consistent, positive interpretation of the Byway vision and theme: Water, Woods, Wilderness: The Adirondack Experience, as defined in the CMP. It will guide byway stakeholders in the development of successful messages, marketing projects, and events and ANCA’s 2007 interpretive map/brochure of the byway and website, and future ANCA byways materials and activities. Throughout the session Susan Fuller, of Fuller Communications, project facilitator, provided explanations of why destination branding is important, how communities and attractions can make it work for them, and ways to use and interpret the Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway brand effectively. Sharon O’Brien, ANCA’s Byways Coordinator, provided background on the Byways program for participants who had not been previously involved, as well as descriptions of new projects underway. Participants had an open discussion regarding their impressions of what makes the Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway experience unique, and the tangible and intangible values of the byway experience for travelers. Responses were based on a questionnaire they were asked to complete in advance of the meeting. In the afternoon, participants were broken into four groups and tasked with working as teams to complete, then share outcomes of, worksheets relating to: · Brand Attributes – immediate triggers in visitors’ minds of one-of-a-kind aspects of the byway experience · Brand Benefits – the physical, spiritual, and emotional reasons to come to the byway · Brand Values – the tangible and intangible characteristics of the byway · Brand Voice – the representation – look, feel, sound, and other physical attributes used in interpreting and promoting the byway and byway activities, · and how to best convey what makes the Adirondack Trail a destination onto itself. There was good discussion and clear consensus among the stakeholders on these topics. All comments during the session were recorded and are available as Session Notes. In addition to concepts for branding, promotion, and marketing material, participants also identified potential competition for the Adirondack Trail and ways to improve visitors’ experiences while traveling the Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway. These included: · Need for more hospitality training · More Interactive experiences · Links of activities and resources · More low budget ’real’ experiences · Educating business owners about the value of tourism and resources– familiarization tours · More roadside interpretive signs According to Sharon O’Brien the session was also helpful to ANCA in a number of ways: · It provided her with a chance to network, and find out what’s going on in communities. · The mix of participants was good -- it engaged new ones and gave them exposure that will be valuable as they become plan implementers. · It was an opportunity to continue to explain the byways benefits and give specific examples of programs in existence or in the works and how many facets there are to the byways program. There were a number of instances where Fuller pointed out the benefits and relevance of the byway relationship and program and existing and/or planned activities. At the end of the session several participants said that they now understand the byway brand and how to use it effectively and commented enthusiastically: "I can do this!" The project is made possible with funding from the NYSDOT’s Scenic Byway Program through the Federal Highway Administration and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. The Adirondack North Country Association is committed to economically viable communities and a rural quality of life. For more information about ANCA, visit www.adirondack.org. Sharon O’Brien Scenic Byway Coordinator Adirondack North Country Association 28 St. Bernard Street Saranac Lake NY 12983 anca-obrien@northnet.org 518.891.6200 f518.891.6203 www.adirondack.org www.adknccrafts.com |
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