Last September, the Squamish Branding, Development and Marketing Action Plan was unveiled following an intensive consultation exercise. After nearly a year in the spotlight, how are we doing with that strategy?
When the initiative was first made public, a number of analysts were sceptical about yet another addition to the growing catalogue of fanciful District of Squamish economic development expeditions, loaded with soaring mission and vision statements, albeit short on substance.
Many critics who were happy with the existing “Outdoor Adventure Capital of Canada” moniker were resentful of the new “Hardwired for Adventure” tagline. Some were rankled by what they believed was an egregious waste of time and money.
Despite those concerns, the branding project is gaining momentum. All municipal vehicles and communiqués, as well as the district’s recently “re-skinned” website, now bear the new slogan and logo. In addition, municipal officials are in the process of launching wayfinding markers and a revamped welcome sign. But in a cash-strapped town, the estimated $200,000 tab for that signage scheme has left more than a few residents shaking their heads.
A committed leadership team and key players, including the Downtown Business Improvement Association (DBIA), the Squamish Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Squamish, have been enlisted to take the brand to the next level. The DBIA now boasts an eye-catching updated website showcasing the logo and tagline. More than 3,000 “Explore Squamish” photos have been posted by residents and visitors on Tourism Squamish’s social media links.
Beyond the local commercial inner circle, recognition from the likes of the New York Times and other notable publications has boosted our image worldwide.
If branding is all about creating enthusiastic advocates, one of the most robust boosters has been the Sea to Sky Gondola. In one year, that groundbreaking operation has opened our spectacular natural endowment to unprecedented national and international exposure.
And if we’re talking about selling the “Hardwired for Adventure” sizzle, media have been telling the story and video of Spencer Seabrooke’s “gut-churning” slackline feat. The co-founder of SlackLife BC set a world record by sauntering across a 64-metre gap high up on the Stawamus Chief without a safety harness. That dizzying stunt has been deemed reckless, if not downright insane, by some observers. But the buzz and YouTube footprint it created will continue to attract a wide-reaching audience.
They say the most effective form of advertising is word of mouth, so it certainly didn’t hurt to have tens of thousands of revelers at the recent Squamish Valley Music Festival, an event that has been referred to as this country’s premier outdoor music bash. With few exceptions, the attendees, many of whom are still riding the festival’s sugar rush and possibly rushes induced by more powerful substances, are no doubt singing this community’s praises back home.
