When you hear the word SA国际影视传媒渆xtraordinary,SA国际影视传媒漝o you think Yellowknife? If the answer is no, a new tourism branding campaign from the City of Yellowknife hopes to change your mind.
SA国际影视传媒淭he brand is to make people think of 'extraordinary' when they think of Yellowknife,SA国际影视传媒� city economic director Kerry Penney told Yellowknifer Wednesday.
On Monday, the city released its SA国际影视传媒渆xtraordinary tourism brand,SA国际影视传媒� the first ever tourism-focused branding campaign in the capitol. The unveiling included the launch of a new website, logo and slogan: SA国际影视传媒淓xtraordinary Yellowknife.SA国际影视传媒� The logo, in two tones, illustrates the slogan SA国际影视传媒� sprawled across a banner-like heading.
Now, with Yellowknife's tourism branding rolled out, city councillors are weighing in.
SA国际影视传媒淎t a first glance I was not certain if I did like it,SA国际影视传媒漵tated Coun. Linda Bussey in an email.
SA国际影视传媒淭he more I look at it though, the more I appreciated it. It does seem to grow on you.SA国际影视传媒� Bussey stated, adding the newly-launched website, extraordinaryyk.com, is SA国际影视传媒渆asy to navigate.SA国际影视传媒�
Another version of the tourism branding beacon, incorporated in the 2018 Yellowknife visitors guide, shows an all white logo with SA国际影视传媒淣orthwest TerritoriesSA国际影视传媒漚nd SA国际影视传媒淐anadaSA国际影视传媒� underlining SA国际影视传媒淓xtraordinary Yellowknife.SA国际影视传媒�
Both renderings are simplistic and understated SA国际影视传媒� a coupling one councillor said is the best choice given all of the options that were on the table.
SA国际影视传媒淪ometimes simple is better,SA国际影视传媒� said Coun. Neils Konge.
SA国际影视传媒淚t's important to have a brand, so if this is going to be the our brand then that's great,SA国际影视传媒� said Konge.
The branding face-lift, which takes cues from directives and goals outlined in a 2015-2019 tourism strategy, is part of a concerted effort by the city to promote Yellowknife as a year-round tourism destination.
Penney emphasized the SA国际影视传媒渆xtraordinarySA国际影视传媒� brand won't be exclusive to the city.
SA国际影视传媒淭his is part of our tourism branding, not really for the city. It's for tour operators SA国际影视传媒A国际影视传媒� said Penney.
In the 2017 budget, Council earmarked $70,000 in capital expenditures over two years to go towards establishing the destination marketing plan.
Through the plan, the city hopes to establish a destination marketing organization by 2019. The city would then, SA国际影视传媒渆stablish the legislative framework to initiate a hotel levy,SA国际影视传媒� which would fund the organization's marketing of Yellowknife to the world as a all-seasons destination.
Perry said the combined presence of a marketing organization and the new branding would go hand in hand.
SA国际影视传媒淎 large purpose of the (marketing organization) is to increase awareness of Yellowknife as a destination. So in that respect branding is key. The two are linked,SA国际影视传媒� said Penney.
While the SA国际影视传媒渄estination marketing planSA国际影视传媒� received funding from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) SA国际影视传媒� to the tune of $430,000 over two years SA国际影视传媒� Yellowknifer couldn't confirm how much the city spent on the logo, slogan and website alone. Penney stated more time was needed to review figures.
Bussey said Yellowknifers are getting the most out of their tax dollars with the new branding campaign.
SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of time, effort and energy went into crafting this new brand SA国际影视传媒� this can be a difficult task to accomplish. I do like the results,SA国际影视传媒� Bussey wrote.
To bring the final brand to fruition, Penney said the city consulted with local tourism operators and people with direct tourism sector knowledge and target audiences.
Testing and focus groups SA国际影视传媒� three held in Toronto and two in Yellowknife SA国际影视传媒� were used to develop the finalized branding.
While the slogan and logo are meant to highlight the experiences of the Northern capitol, Indigenous themes and art are noticeably absent from the rendering. But Kerry Penny told Yellowknifer the campaign is meant to have different meanings for different people.
SA国际影视传媒淭he brand 'Extraordinary Yellowknife' is all encompassing. So it's Yellowknife is extraordinary because we have Indigenous cultures you can experience, or because you can go fishing out your back door, or because you can go berry picking around the corner. So the brand is intended to be all of those things. It's difficult in a short tag line to encompass everything,SA国际影视传媒� said Penney.
But obtaining the authority from the GNWT to form a marketing organization is SA国际影视传媒渒ey,SA国际影视传媒� Penney said.
Many councillors, including Bussey and Konge, as well as prominent organizations including the Yellowknife Hotel Association and Chamber of Commerce, have backed the city's bid to introduce an accommodation levy as a means of raising funds for tourism promotion.
But it's up to the territorial government to give the green light.
Over the last five years, an upswing in the number of tourists coming to Yellowknife has amounted to significant injections into the economy, with visitors spending nearly $98 million in 2014. Hotels, restaurants and other businesses receive the bulk of incoming cash, with the average visitor spending $1,550 during their time in Yellowknife.
