A message from the communications director
July, 2010 - We're so busy updating and implementing destination marketing materials and responding to visitor inquiries that we may have mistakenly made the assumption that everyone in town is up to speed and understands the new Lake Placid brand.
A local business owner was in our office the other day for a meeting, and she held the misconception that the Lake Placid Brand was associated with the name "Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism", and wondered just how that name would bring visitors to Lake Placid.
Short answer; it won't.
Apparently, since our Destination Marketing Organization's new umbrella name and the Lake Placid brand were unveiled at close to the same time, we miscommunicated (with the "help" of some of the local media) the fact that the timing was on purpose - to separate the destination from the DMO. We are the accredited Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Essex County, known as both the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, committed to increasing quality of life for the residents of our region; and the Lake Placid CVB, the commonly accepted reference used in industry correspondence.
So, let's take another stab at this.
This is our organization's logo- used on our letterhead in correspondence with our local marketing partners:
No visitors will ever see our organization's name. They WILL see the destination brand promotions in the marketplace, and our aptly-named Lake Placid Visitor Center when they get here.
ABOUT THE BRAND
Since our flagship destination is Lake Placid, its brand was a priority project for the past couple of years, and is now in its first season of implementation.
Why do we need a "brand"? To stand out, and differentiate our destination from a veritable sea of competitive resorts.
Following is a synopsis of the new Lake Placid brand concept.
What is Lake Placid?
Lake Placid is a feeling; not a place. An adjective; not a noun.
People don't want to just GO to Lake Placid, they want to BE Lake Placid.
Invent your Own Perfect Day
In interviews, many people referred to the "Perfect Day" they had in Lake Placid.
For some, it's a walk around Mirror Lake in the morning on a rainy day, an afternoon spent reading on a porch followed by a Sinfonietta concert in the park.
For others, the day begins with a hike, then a kayak, then shopping on Main Street, then a dinner at the pub.
Turns out, there is no one series of experiences that results in a Perfect Day in Lake Placid; so we're inviting everyone to Invent Your Own Perfect Day In Lake Placid!
And of course, all businesses, organizations, events and other experiences are Part of a Perfect Day in lake Placid.
THE ARTWORK
The artwork associated with the brand has a few components:
The logotype: Lake Placid OWNS this - no one else uses this font, because it was created just for Lake Placid.
The colors and images: the four colors are used consistently, and allude to some colors of international flags. blue: water, clear sky. red: warm, vibrant. yellow: happy, sun, and grey: a tone that allows contrast. These are all incorporated into the new logo, or symbol.
IMPLEMENTATION
We're excited about the ongoing launch of the new Lake Placid brand. As it continues to be implemented across the spectrum of marketing outlets- both electronic and print media, it will create a unique image in the minds of our customers, and differentiate our destination from other competitive mountain resorts like Stowe and Tremblant.
The new brand is being used now in print and website advertisements, and is the basis for the design of the brand new lakeplacid.com, which will be launched at the end of the summer.
It's great to see so many local businesses have incorporated the concept into their marketing materials. Some of you are selling "Part of a Perfect Day" product in your stores, sending the brand home with our ambassador visitors who will then promote the invention message to their friends. All of this strengthens and reinforces the message in the marketplace.
Please contact me with any questions; and remember, if you haven't obtained one yet, there are brand toolkits available at our office in the Lake Placid Visitors Center at the beach house. In addition, the brand guideline book is available HERE in PDF format.
Kim Rielly, director of communications