Coos County, New Hampshire
Grand Resorts. Grand Adventures.
The Situation
Coos County is located in the beautiful northern reaches of New Hampshire, sharing borders with Canada, Vermont and Maine. Facing challenges to its economy, in large part due to a shrinking timber industry, the county is focusing on its numerous tourism assets that make it a prime candidate for a fresh, regional branding effort.
Several years ago, Coos County began using the brand identity "The Great North Woods." But the identity hasn't taken hold, as people tend to associate the north woods theme with Maine or Minnesota, rather than New Hampshire. At this stage, Coos County has no real identity as a destination, nothing to distinguish it from other areas in New England offering similar attractions and recreational opportunities.
Coos County retained DDI to develop a brand identity that captures the essence of what the area offers, one that the communities in the region can embrace, and one that provides potential visitors with a taste of what they can experience when they visit Northern New Hampshire.
The Solution
DDI's visits to New Hampshire showed them that Coos County does indeed have many features that set it apart from any other destination - three of only five remaining Grand Resorts in New England, built during the gilded age of the late 19th century. Located in beautiful natural settings, these resorts feature elegantly restored buildings evoking the late Victorian era, and offer a variety of activities for guests. These Grand Resorts were once a place for well-to-do families to escape the summer heat of the city; today they offer a unique visitor experience that takes people back to a different era.
With many thrilling activities including ziplines, snowshoeing, canoeing and kayaking, SUV sightseeing, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, and survival programs, Coos County also plays host to some of the most exciting adventures imaginable.
Northern New Hampshire will be the land of grand resorts and grand adventure. Visiting will be like stepping into a grand storybook. Spectacular mountain vistas, crystalline lakes and rivers and wildlife wandering along the roadside evoke images of a place still wild and untamed. Grand adventures, unlike anywhere else, offer visitors an opportunity to connect with this special place. And the elegant Grand Resorts evoke the style and grace of an earlier age, providing visitors a place of ease and modern comfort after a day in the great outdoors.
The "Grand Resorts, Grand Adventures" brand is ideal for Coos County because they already possess the basics of the product necessary to own the brand. Brands are built on product, not marketing, and the three grand resorts and long list of natural resources, programming and attractions offering grand adventure, are the basis for the brand. Through a variety of initiatives recommended by DDI, Coos County will embrace and own the "Grand" brand, creating a distinct identity based on the Grand Resorts, as well as the adventures that await visitors to the region.
With DDI's assistance, the County is developing grand adventure visitor packages to make the potential adventures more accessible to visitors, and consolidating information and resources to make travel planning a snap. Marketing programs such as a first class visitor website, comprehensive visitor guides chock full of specifics and details, and targeted advertising and public relations efforts will tell the world about the grand adventures that await.
A comprehensive wayfinding system throughout the county will be developed by DDI to make traversing the area easier, linking the various towns, attractions, resorts and other destinations. The easier it is for visitors to find their way, the longer they will stay, and a wayfinding system will open up the county for further exploration. With DDI's expertise to guide them, downtowns will also work to make their destinations more appealing for visitors, giving them a place to relax, dine and shop after the more active and exciting activities of the day.
Coos County's brand vision will become a reality through the hard work of people in the community, coming together to embrace the brand and provide the visitor experience necessary to make it a reality. Northern New Hampshire has much to offer, and this unique identity, along with the grand adventures that fulfill the promise of the brand, will breathe new life into the county and create a place where people can experience elegance, on the edge.
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