Waupaca, WI
Linking the chain to main.
Waupaca, a small town in Wisconsin, might not be well-known, but the Chain O’ Lakes, the set of 22 lakes that Waupaca sits on, is a popular summer tourist destination for many in the midwest. We were hired on a joint project by the City and CVB to create a community brand that would help them realize the benefits of being so close to such a popular place.
Role
Strategist
Skills
Brand Strategy
Advertising Idea
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The process.
3 week-long trips to get to know the community and absorb its culture
17 community roundtables
Brand workshops
Visits to competing areas
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The problem.
Residents
A growing number of people want to move away from big cities, but they don’t feel like Waupaca has enough to do to keep them entertained.Visitors
Not enough people who visit the Chain O’ Lakes spend valuable time (and money) in the town. -
The realization.
Waupaca is the perfect combination of both visit & live-related activities.
Some communities offer a ton of options for residents, and other places are very tourism-focused, but Waupaca sits right in the middle.It’s a place for the everyday person, who wants a life away from the city, who values the outdoors and being able to escape, but still wants a place with a sense of community and vibrancy.
The strategy.
Chain to Main.
Waupaca has a big tourism draw because of the Chain O’Lakes, but it also has a strong Main Street and sense of community for those who live there. Because of this, it can offer the best of both worlds — it’s a great place to live and a great place to visit.
The chain to main strategy is about linking the tourism draw — the Chain O’ Lakes — to Main Street (and Waupaca as a whole) so that the resident and visitor audiences realize that they can satisfy both recreational and community needs in one place.
We also identified the brand principles of nostalgia, tradition & community, the outdoors, down to earth, and vibrant.
The advertising idea.
Juxtapose two activities — one more “live” and one more “visit” — and link them with a single statement that applies to both.
The recognition.
Finalist — Best Use of Design, City Nation Place Awards 2018