To find the essence of Carson Valley, we talked to locals and visitors. We went fishing and biking and hiked to the mountain tops overlooking this beautiful valley. We held smaller focus groups and “picked the brain” of many specialists in the community. We experienced the Carson Valley as both locals and tourists. In the end, our journey led us to this realization:
It’s the place AND the people that make the Carson Valley truly legendary.
And with this realization, we were able to identify our brand essence and personality
Brand Essence
Central Location
Diverse Activity
Natural Beauty
Openness • Historic
Outdoor Adventure
Western Heritage
Brand Personality
Welcoming • Inviting • Attentive
Raw • Natural • Unprocessed
Quaint • Down-home
Unique • Unexpected • Quirky
Calm • Retreat-like • Laid back
The uniqueness and diversity of Carson Valley allows “something” to be appealing to everyone, from history buffs to thrill seekers to escapists. We needed to create a communications campaign that authentically connects visitors and locals to some element of our brand essence and personality. So, once the essence of the brand was identified, we developed a strategic list and description of people who enjoy Carson Valley, whether they are visitors or locals. We call this list our archetypes.
Brand Archetypes
Fearless • Risk-taking
Focus • Daring
Spontaneity
Hunger for New Experiences
Strength • Power
Discipline • Competence
Bravery • Honor
Achievement
Orientation
Confidence to be led by Vision
Talent for Innovation
High Tolerance for Ambiguity and Complexity
Self-Starter
Independence
Bravery
Freedom
Non-Conformity
Self-Sufficiency
Rank
Tradition
Benevolence
Nobility
Stability
Communications Campaign
To communicate our benefits to our archetypes effectively, the communications campaign had to be fun and showcase the various characters of the Carson Valley, presenting a mixed bag of adventures — from adrenaline rushes to the pleasure of pulling up a bar stool or dialing in on a long-sought shot of a bald eagle. We poke a little fun at ourselves and our “small-towness”, while challenging our viewers to do something off-kilter in life and take the kind of adventure that goes a long way toward enhancing the true essence of travel.
Legends of the Valley Campaign
Our award-winning communications campaign highlights some of our most valued community members, those that work and play in Carson Valley. The campaign connects the people and the place to deliver a very important message: Visit Carson Valley.