Goal
The mid-point between Calgary and Vancouver in the West Kootenays, Castlegar required a re-brand to build around its role as a regional service centre (transportation, health, education, commercial services, tourism) for 60,000 people living in the Trail-Castlegar-Nelson corridor.
Situational Analysis
Meet a resident of Castlegar and you’ll have a new friend on Facebook before you even get home. Personality of place is worn on the sleeve here.
This work was created under the banner of Twist Marketing.
Unfussy Recommendations
The brand process brought a hard focus to a long-standing, softly expressed desire, and clarity of brand direction illuminated quick decision making (18 months) to:
- Rename and re-brand the Castlegar Airport to the West Kootenay Regional Airport
- Make infrastructure improvements to the airport
- Create an enabling environment for new hospital construction
- Spend multi-million dollars to proactively attract big-box anchor stores by servicing a large block of new commercial land near the airport
- Facilitate construction of a new casino
These milestones are significant, but they are only part of the Castlegar story. The brand reaches out to you personally… hello, chat, talk, hug, connect, do business, get together, think, have fun, laugh, love, live… It feeds your individual aspirations about living better. From this seed grow the roots of those Castlegar seeks: creative urbanites in major metropolitan centres who are sick of the rat race and looking for a balanced entrepreneurial, outdoorsy lifestyle.
Output
- Strategic Community Direction development (with Economic Development and Tourism considerations)
- Community / Place Brand development
- Internal and external communications strategies
- Messaging Platform development
- Visual Identity (logo) system creation (including new airport identity)
- Tactical Marketing and Communications Plan development
- Targeted traditional and digital advertising and marketing communications campaign conceptual development, design, and production
- Ongoing marketing collateral design and development
- PR Strategy development
- Community / way finding signage and pageantry design and production
- Community Profile design and development
- Brand Standards (Playbook) / visual identity guidelines development
- Videography services
- Website design and development
Designed to enhance community image, pride, and the sense of “salesmanship” needed to better connect with existing residents and potential newcomers and entrepreneurs, visitors, and business and industry investors, the rebrand initiative was fed by extensive internal and external research, including Council, staff, and key stakeholder workshops, and SWOT and discovery sessions.
Outcomes
Castlegar’s personality does not go unnoticed, thanks to the City’s renowned “Hello My Name Is” municipal business cards, “Do It Outdoors” tourism advertising, international annual Sculpture Walk contest, a creative community showcase video displayed on Vancouver Airport screens during the 2010 Winter Olympics, artfully conceived investment attraction video, West Kootenay Regional Airport branding and website, and the complete re-design of its municipal, commercial, and wayfinding signage systems.
