Welcome to the new addisonwhitney.com
After months of preparation, dedication and hard work, Addison Whitney is delighted to officially announce the launch our newly designed website, www.addisonwhitney.com.
The new website is clean, colorful and a stronger representation of our brand. Our goal is to provide our visitors with an extremely user friendly site that clearly communicates who we are and what we do. The site offers more functionality and easier navigation, while painting a better picture of our company’s past, present and future.
There’s a lot to see on the new site and we hope that everyone will check it out, but to learn a bit more about the direction and design of the site, check out the screenshots below.
While you’re on the site, I also encourage you to sign up for Forward, our quarterly newsletter that shares major branding news, insights and updates on what we have going on at Addison Whitney.
What’s new at addisonwhitney.com:
On the homepage, our rotating hero area directs you to the major sections of our site: Who We Are, What We Do and case studies.
You will also see a static call-to-action for a healthcare-specific section of the site. Our experience in both healthcare and non-healthcare industries is so extensive that it’simportant for us to highlight each separately with dedicated sections.
One of the most exciting additions to our new site is the Our Team page (located within the Who We Are navigation). This is a great opportunity to talk about our people and what makes Addison Whitney great. The passion and dedication that drives us every day is why clients love hiring us and why we love working here.
Under Who We Are, we also highlight our global locations and Helping Hands work: two things we love to show off.
Under What We Do, you will find our department pages. In this section, we have really simplified the navigation and user experience.
Each department page includes a link to our case studies and, when you click here, you’ll be taken to a pre-filtered case study page that corresponds to the page you came from (e.g., verbal or visual branding, brand strategy or research and analysis).
The case study page on the new addisonwhitney.com is the main showpiece and greatest improvement from the old site.
Now, we have two separate case study pages, one dedicated to our healthcare work and one for our non-healthcare work. Both have the same functionality and look.
When you click on Our Work, you will be greeted with large images rather than a list, and unlike before, where it took at the very least five clicks to find a case study, now you can find what you’re looking for in as little as two – a huge user experience improvement.
Both case study pages feature a robust filtering system that allows you to sort our work by service, industry, situation or region.
As far as the actual case studies go, they are more detailed and engaging, and boast more pictures.
There are a lot of great changes happening here at Addison Whitney, and the debut of our new website is just the beginning! Over the next few months, you’ll see a redesigned Japanese site, a reskin of our beloved brandsalsa and a few other great items that we’re not quite ready to share yet. But, we promise they’re exciting, so stay tuned! And in the meantime, please to check out the new addisonwhitney.com, and tell us what you think.
Destination Branding: A Spotlight on Cities Around The World
Confession: I absolutely love to travel. When I discover a new place and am able to soak in its secrets and beauty, something in me awakens. Because of this, I’ve always been drawn to travel and tourism branding/marketing/PR. Studying how destinations differentiate themselves fascinates me.
2012 was a milestone year for tourism – For the first time in history, more than one billion tourists travelled the world and five to six billion more were expected to have travelled within their own countries. Those are staggering numbers when you consider that 60 years ago, the number of international tourists was a mere 25 million.
With stats like that, it’s no wonder cities, states and countries are doing everything they can to attract visitors. A successful brand could mean millions (or even billions) of dollars for a destination.
So, because of my love of travel, this will be the first post in a series on destination branding (all based on our global office locations). We’ll start off looking at city tourism brands, then state and country brands and finally national and international brands. To reign in this comparison a bit, we’ll focus primarily on each city’s tourism identity and the positioning we find on its website.
Let’s get started…
Part One: Charlotte, Munich and New York
The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) is the area’s umbrella organization for six tourism entities: Visit Charlotte (Charlotte’s Destination Marketing Organization [DMO]), the Charlotte Convention Center, the NASCAR Hall of Fame museum, Ovens Auditorium, Bojangles Coliseum and Time Warner Cable Arena.
From a brand perspective, Visit Charlotte has several identities or presentations. The first, only a few of us have seen before.
The second was a campaign launched in 2008 that is still used today. The messaging is pretty straightforward: Charlotte has a lot to offer both business visitors and casual tourists.
And, in the past year or so, Visit Charlotte has redesigned its website to better visually depict the area’s tourism diversity.
Interestingly enough, Visit Charlotte doesn’t really have a standalone brand. The focus is on CRVA and its six area attractions (Visit Charlotte even uses a CRV-focused boilerplate in its news releases). With Charlotte’s impressive growth over the past decade (both in economic development and tourism), it could be really interesting to see a stronger city brand emerge – we’ll definitely keep our eyes peeled.
Alphabetically, Munich is up next. From what I could find, Munich’s tourism information is located on its larger city website – it doesn’t appear to have a standalone website for tourism. That said, here is its city brand (which obviously plays a huge part in its tourism branding):
And, after some serious digging, I was able to find its tourism logo.
There are two areas of the city’s website that seem to have tourism landing pages (below), so this particular destination’s branding feels a little disconnected.
So, Munich doesn’t seem to have a particularly prominent tourism brand, but with more than five million visitors a year and a huge emphasis on its annual (and infamous) Oktoberfest celebration, it’s interesting that the destination still manages to feel like somewhat of a secret. And, judging by the images I found while perusing the website, a gorgeous secret at that. I’d almost argue that a big, flashy tourism brand might even do the charm of Munich a disservice, so for that reason, I’m okay with its simplistic presentation.
What do you even say about New York?
NYC & Company is New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization. Last year, the Big Apple welcomed a staggering 52 million visitors. It’s almost unfair, as this city doesn’t really need strong tourism branding. But it does – and it’s bright, flashy and everything that makes NYC unique.
The primary logo has two prominent executions, horizontal and stacked.
The travel destination uses the horizontal execution to superimpose images from around NYC. Here are two examples:
With so many stories to tell, NYC & Company has its work cut out for it. It does its best to give visitors easy access to the information they want and need. That said, it is still a bit overwhelming – but in so many ways, so is the city itself, so it kind of works.
On Thursday, we’ll round out our look at city destination branding by focusing on San Francisco, Seattle and Tokyo. Stay tuned!
# # #
Disclaimer: This post is purely subjective. My background is in brand strategy (positioning, messaging and portfolio organization), not design. Good visual branding can be challenging to achieve, and I whole-heartedly respect designers at Addison Whitney and beyond.
Sources
“UNWTO: Annual Report, 2012.” UNWTO.org, http://goo.gl/pp5a7g
“Charlotte’s Got A Lot: New Ad Campaign Visuals Show Just How Much.” CharlottesGotALot.com, http://goo.gl/jUI6G8
“Munich Statistics.” MUNICHfound.com, http://goo.gl/mbVaIA.
“New York City Tourism: A Model for Success.” NYCGo.com, http://goo.gl/L4pYUF
Back The Buzz
Back the Buzz
By Meara Lyons
It’s remarkable how sports can bring people together. People from all walks of life find community in sporting events and teams. What becomes even more fascinating is when a team evolves because of its fans and the resulting atmosphere is utterly electric.
What does this have to do with branding? Well, Charlotte, North Carolina has an NBA team – the Bobcats – and they’re going back to their roots. Last week, Bobcats’ owner Michael Jordan announced the NBA franchise’s decision to return to its original name, The Charlotte Hornets. Sure, there’s still some politics left to sort through (the NBA board of governors will officially vote on the name change in July), but you can already feel the excitement in Charlotte.
Hornets History
In 1985, the NBA planned to expand by four teams. George Shinn, an entrepreneur from Kannapolis, a city just north of Charlotte, wanted to bring a team to the area, so he assembled a group of local businessmen to head the franchise. North Carolina was steeped in college basketball (Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, NC State), so the leap to an NBA team was a natural one.
So, the team was born, and introduced with a name that had historical roots to the area. During the Revolutionary War, Lord Cornwallis, a leading British General, called the fighters in the Charlotte area a “veritable nest of hornets.”
Here’s some insight from an NBC Sports writer who lived in Charlotte during the Hornets heyday:
“You simply cannot overstate how deeply in love Charlotte was with the Hornets that first year and for a long while after that. The New Charlotte Coliseum sold out every game. Marginal players like Tim Kempton became Charlotte superstars. Everybody wanted to shoot like Dell Curry. Everybody wanted to gun like Kelly Tripucka. Everyone wanted to pester like Muggsy Bogues. Kurt Rambis was on that first team. Earl Cureton. Robert Reid. Every time the Celtics or Knicks or, especially, Los Angeles Lakers came to town, we felt like the world had finally discovered us. We had a real live NBA team — a terrible one, yes, but the team’s general awfulness did not dampen the spirit one bit. Losses were beside the point. Victories were like little daily miracles. Hey look: That’s Larry Bird!”*
In 2002, the Hornets played their last game in the Queen City – or so everyone thought – and the team moved to New Orleans. Even though the Hornets played in New Orleans from 2003-2013, the defunct Charlotte Hornets remained popular in its native city.
Back the Buzz
Three years ago, John Morgan, a local elementary art teacher, started a Facebook campaign called “We Beelieve,” and began gathering signatures to support his cause. Soon after, brothers Scotty and Evan Kent joined in the effort and created a website called, “Bring Back the Buzz.”
Earlier this year, the “Bring Back the Buzz” campaign hit a break when the New Orleans Hornets announced their own name change – to the Pelicans – thus freeing up the Hornets name for Jordan to pursue.
Flash forward to last Tuesday when Jordan announced the good news and reminisced a bit: “When I first played here years ago, the thing I was totally astounded by was the energy. I wanted to bring that energy back.”
The rebranding process should take about 18 months and an estimated $4 million, which includes an extensive repainting of the Time Warner Cable Arena as well as some loss of merchandise revenue as the team liquidates its current stock.
Nostalgic Charlotteans have already started to bring out their throwback Hornets shirts and hats – wearing the merchandise with pride, excitement and support for the switch.
The Bottom Line
We’re not naïve – our team needs a lot more than a rebranding to start winning games. But we’re optimists; maybe the buzz around the Hornets will get the players excited and give them the boost they need to start a positive momentum for the team. I mean, who doesn’t love a good Cinderella story?
Sources
*“A brief history of the Charlotte Hornets (and other things),” NBCSports.com, Joe Posnanski, http://goo.gl/gDbdV
“Michael Jordan summons Hugo the Hornet to Charlotte,” Charlotte Business Journal, Erik Spanberg, http://goo.gl/GJWWq
“Jordan confirms change to Hornets,” ESPN.com, AP, http://goo.gl/TSbfj
“Bobcats on borrowed time,” Charlotte Observer, Rick Bonnell, http://goo.gl/ciYEX
“Report: Lakers assistant Steve Clifford reaches deal to be Bobcats coach,” NBCSports.com, Kurt Helin, http://goo.gl/FrNMm
Brands Take to the Sky for Higher Reach
Airport security checkpoints create lines, pat-downs and frequent headaches for travelers. There are also the dull colored table trays on airplanes that make your snack and beverage look, well dull. Airlines have long wanted to engage travelers through these mediums so it was naturally when they invited companies to place advertisements on security checkpoint bins and on table trays to make it a more positive experience for travelers. Does this form of advertising work? Brands think so and are taking advantage of this advertising avenue.
Security Point Media, the leader in airport passenger security checkpoint advertising and the innovator of the Secure Tray System worked up a plan to provide free bins to airports in exchange for the right to sell advertisements on the bins. During a recent trip from New York to Boston, I noticed the ads at JFK airport. As I placed my shoes and other items in the bin, I saw an ad for Zappos that said “Place shoes here, buy shoes here.” I thought it was clever and made me remember that Zappos is a great store for shoe lovers and it distracted me for a few minutes as I made my way through the line. In my opinion, the ad worked as it was colorful, simple and reminded me how much I liked the brand and the products they offer. Brand recognition and recall are much more likely when advertising serves a practical purpose and is helpful to consumers.
Los Angeles International Airport, one of the program’s first test sites, was able to purchase long tables, seating, floor mats and other equipment from the ad revenue they have generated since the start of the bin advertising program. Airports like the program because it gives them a little bit of extra money and helps improve the checkpoint experience for passengers. Brands like Zappos are also helping absorb the cost that TSA would normally have to spend buying the equipment needed for security checkpoint. Sounds like a win win to me!
Another way to reach frequent travelers is by smacking an ad on a table tray while they’re on the airplane. On a recent flight, I saw an ad for Visitrichmond.com that did a great job of showcasing their cities history by having an ad that said “History. Rated “Gee!” From chilling ghost stories to thrilling roller coaster rides, history is for kids of all ages.” The ad featured a group of people enjoying a roller coaster ride. Whether it’s an ad for a hotel, cell phone or a tourism push for visitors, brands are gaining maximum exposure as the advertising images cannot be avoided.
While media companies believe table tray ads provide up to 3+ hours of guaranteed exposure and attention and a clutter-free environment with zero distractions, I believe frequent travelers would question if the ads make as much of an impact as companies would have liked. In a busy traveling world where people are rushing to get to their gate, do people notice advertisements on check point bins and table trays or are they more concerned with making their flight?
Mud Runs Enable Brands to Broaden Reach
Traditional running races are a thing of the past. The new craze is to throw some obstacles in the way. Like a mud pit, barbed wire, a climbing wall and a tangle of ropes. Then give these new obstacle course races gritty names like Warrior Dash and Tough Mudder to really intimidate people to sign up! Not only are people getting excited to participate in mud runs but brands are seizing the opportunity as well.
Obstacle races combine mud and trail runs with boot-camp obstructions and even mind games, all designed to result in mental and physical collapse. Last year in the U.S. roughly a million people signed up for events in the four most popular series: Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder, Spartan Race and Muddy Buddy. People now travel around the country and shell out money to willingly run these adventure races with mud crawls, fire pits, ice-cold showers and electric shocks. I have to admit when I looked at the Warrior Dash event video on their website, I instantly felt nervous yet fired up seeing people drenched in mud, climbing up wooden walls and jumping over fire. However, brands are embracing this new trend with nerves of steel.
Brands view this as an opportunity to get their product and showcase their company in front of an audience of young, active professionals. For example, the Windham, NY Warrior Dash in 2012 partnered with PERT Plus, the hassle-free shampoo brand and had a “Sudz Zone” shower trailer in the post-race festival area. With shampoo samples being provided to participants, brands have additional exposure for race attendees to use first hand and experience the product for themselves in hopes that participants will recall their experience next time they’re looking to buy shampoo. After all, if it can clean you up after one of these races it’s got to be good.
Brands also can gain exposure by having on site signage and tent space where they can directly connect and build relationships with existing as well as new customers. A few years ago I participated in an obstacle race and was immediately handed free apparel and samples provided by the sponsors that were at the event. They say it’s the little things in life and by getting a free koozie, a t-shirt and beer, not only was I benefitting from my new free stuff but I was also being exposed to a number of new brands that I might not ordinarily come in contact with, and I was one happy girl!
With mud runs and other adventure races gaining popularity, it’s no wonder brands are seizing the opportunity to sponsor races for additional exposure. As I write this, I’m already nervous and excited for the North Carolina Warrior Dash in 2013 I just signed up for! Obstacles, beer and bragging rights, do you have what it takes?
Charlotte's Got a Lot
In 2008 when I moved to Charlotte, NC I had no idea I was taking up residence in the “next big thing” city. I was fresh-out of college and not sure what to expect out of my new city that I more or less randomly chose to move to. But I unknowingly stepped right into what I consider the early stages of Charlotte’s coming out party to the world, and now just four years later this city is about to be put on its biggest stage with the DNC coming to town in September. It’s 2012 
and it’s Charlotte’s year, so let’s take a look at how we got here and why.
In 2008 as our country was experiencing the economic downturn that we all know too much about, and Charlotte was certainly not immune to the economic crisis but that’s not what this post is about. But instead how in the face of what could have been a major blow to the city’s image how city leaders and organizations were able to take a city full of charm and potential and brand it into what is now one of the fastest growing regions in the country through city branding.
In an increasingly globalized world different countries, states, and cities are in more and more competition with each other to capture the attention of tourists and potential new residents, which is why city branding has taken off as an important endeavor for any region.
City branding refers to all the activities that are undergone with the purpose of turning a city from a location into a destination. Rather than being advertising based, city branding is a community wide effort that is focused on delivering an exceptional experience that is both memorable and emotional.
Charlotte is the 2nd largest financial city in the U.S. only behind NYC, and has long been seen simply as that, a financial center. But it is through the Charlotte’s city branding efforts that has reshaped the city’s image to be so much more. It’s hard to put into words exactly how much Charlotte has to offer the world but the city’s official travel resource, Charlotte’s Got A lot, puts it best when they say:
“Amidst a growing cityscape, this destination delivers cultural distractions and attractions, dining and nightlife for every persuasion, and a Southern ambiance all its own. Charlotte’s a city where Olympic-caliber adventurers rub elbows with culture mavens; a city that appeals to both NASCAR heroes and finance leaders; and a city where Northern newcomers exchange smiles on the street with Carolina natives. Visitors are sure to be just as captivated too. A new rip-roaring coaster at Carowinds, some of the best retail therapy this side of Manhattan, whitewater rafting at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, and so much more to engage, excite, and exhilarate show exactly why Charlotte’s got a lot.”
From the city’s organic and undeniable charm to the more deliberately manicured streets and eclectic offering of activities it’s no wonder that Charlotte was selected to host this year’s DNC, and has been branded as the “international gateway to the south.” It continues to steal away residents from the north year after year as it continues to leave a lasting impression on all who travel through it.
Charlotte’s got a lot. It was branded that way, but more importantly stays true to its word, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for this city in the coming years.
AW Helping Hands: Reedy Creek Park
On July 23, 2011, Addison Whitney participated in another successful Helping Hands volunteer event for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation at Reedy Creek Park. Reedy Creek Nature Preserve protects 737 acres of natural, forested habitat within Reedy Creek Park. There are over ten miles of hiking trails in the nature preserve for the outdoor enthusiast, giving visitors the opportunity to explore a variety of terrains, while enjoying scenic views of small lakes, forests, fields, streams, and wild life.
Addison Whitney helped to resurface the Nature Center's garden area. Volunteers also installed several hummingbird feeders around the Nature Preserve. Reedy Creek volunteer coordinator, Pepe Chavez commented, "Our garden was in desperate need of some love so we started right away weeding the walk ways resurfacing them with a fresh layer of screening in preparation for Hummingbird Festival; a special event on August 27 that attracts over 2,500 visitors to the nature center making this our biggest special event at Reedy Creek." Additionally, donations provided will cover the cost of slide mats for a nearby playground area.
Despite the rising temperatures in Charlotte on that Saturday morning, all participants left the event with more knowledge of our county's parks and eager to continue giving back to help beautify our parks!
Find Reedy Creek Nature Center on Facebook to find out about other upcoming events!
Contributed by: Cathleen Foley
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Amelie's Bakery, Ah Oui!
There is little to assume from an ordinary brick warehouse in NoDa, but upon entering Amelie’s French bakery & cafe, one is immediately transported into an artfully eclectic atmosphere with Parisian flair. Not only does the bakery keep its doors open 24/7, but the owners also pay careful attention to supporting the city’s resources. The Amelie brand is tied specifically to Charlotte, a refreshing distinction from the mainstream coffeeshops. They brew locally roasted Dilworth coffee, and employ pastry chefs from Johnson & Wales University, the culinary school in downtown Charlotte. It doesn’t hurt that one of the owners is a native of France, adding an authentic French vibe to the brand.
The cafe offers an atmosphere like no other in the area. The “shabby-chic” interior with handmade chandeliers, maps of old Paris, French music, and bejeweled statues inspire a world of imagination. The quaint ambience draws a diverse crowd for friendly conversation, study, relaxation, and refreshment. It's a place where you could spend hours and not realize it. Amelie's sets itself apart by creating a unique brand experience that satisfies the senses of sound (music), sight (decor), and taste (cuisine). As a result, the hustle & bustle is a testament to the cafe's popularity and brand loyalty among locals.
The food and drink constitutes an array of handmade pastries, sandwiches, soups, drinks and espresso made in the European tradition. In February they offered “éclair your love,” an opportunity to personalize an éclair for that special someone. In a nutshell, Amelie’s is kind of like Starbuck’s foreign exchange student. It's a brand that embodies French culture, and emits an unassuming amount of charm.
In my opinion, this is one of the best places to hit the Queen City- great food and atmosphere with a successful brand presence. I vote Amelie’s as my favorite spot in Charlotte. Don’t miss out on this gem of a bakery! Located on the corner of 28th St. in NoDa, or a mini-version on Tryon St in uptown. http://www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com/
Amelie’s French Bakery & Café
2424 N. Davidson St.
Charlotte, NC 28205
Contributed by: Emily Hassell
Brand Endorsement ROI
I’m a Roger Federer fan. I set my alarm to wake up on Sunday (at 9 am) and watch with the hopes of him beating Nadal in the final match of the French Open. Well it wasn’t in the cards this year. But while watching the French Open this past weekend I couldn’t help but notice both Roger and Rafa are Nike men. I’m sure I’ve noticed it before but for some reason this year I was distracted by it and the other brand placements.
Addison Whitney is headquartered in Charlotte, also known as NASCAR headquarters. I think the reason the French Open brand placements were so vivid to me was because I had watched the start of the Coca-Cola 600 the weekend before and was amazed at all of the places a logo could go – behind the steering wheel, all over the cars and on the driver. All I could think of was how is this placement a worthwhile investment? How is the ROI measured and justified? In my head the potential conversation might go like this: Me: “Hi Boss, I’d like to spend $20,000 to put our logo behind Dale Jr’s steering wheel.” Boss: “Beth Anne, no. Get out.”
And then I remembered Michael Jordan and Nike. Who didn’t want to be just like Mike? (Do you remember the Gatorade song? “I wanna be, I wanna be like Mike.”) I won’t lie. Young Beth Anne was decked out in Nike and Chicago Bulls gear despite living in Atlanta.
Are today’s athletes really so influential that they can influence brand preference? NASCAR fans are loyal. But do Denny Hamlin fans only use FedEx as opposed to UPS because he endorses it? Again, I love Roger Federer, but I’m not going to seek out Nike or Gillette over other brands because of his endorsement (in all fairness, I am a woman, not a man so I don’t know if that makes a difference).
What do you think about athlete endorsements and the value? Do these endorsements really make a strong impact on a brand or are they just a means to increase awareness?
And don’t worry your pretty little head Roger, you’ll get him next year at Roland Garros (and hopefully next month at Wimbledon).
AW Helping Hands: Birthday Blessing
Through AW Helping Hands, a company-wide volunteer initiative, Addison Whitney employees jump started the month of May by throwing a birthday party at the Salvation Army Center of Hope in uptown Charlotte . Bright Blessings is a non-profit that operates projects for thousands of homeless children across the Charlotte region. Its core program “Bless-A-Birthday,” is a monthly birthday party given at a homeless shelter to enliven the spirits, and celebrate the birthdays of the shelter's children.
Many Addison Whitney employees volunteered to attend the party at the Center of Hope, home for women and children. The team assembled goody bags and transformed the home into an energetic party scene. The party included tables for crafts & coloring, game spots, and of course, cupcakes! Volunteers and kids alike spent the evening enjoying their time together playing games, mini-bowling, competing for prizes, and to see who could walk away the most candy.
As the 50 children sang a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" to this month's guests of honor it was especially touching to see the grateful and happy smiles projected from every mother's face. Judging by the happy parents and chocolate covered faces of the children the party was a huge success! We at Addison Whitney are so glad we got to celebrate the May birthdays with the children, and look forward to the next opportunity to lend a helping hand to our community.
Contributed by: Emily Hassell